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Advice for conquering hills? (Read 1662 times)


Roadrunner's Apprentice

    My thanks to everyone who responded.  I'll be putting these tips into practice in the coming days and weeks and hopefully it gets better!

    2014 Goals:

    - sub-26 5K : sub-56 10K : 1st half marathon

    - Tell my excuses to shut up and lace up...


    ultramarathon/triathlete

      For me, it helps to use my arms a bit when hitting the hills.  This doesn't mean get them pumping like some weird cartoon, but really just pay more attention to your arms and keep them pumpin a bit.  And I also second the idea of the string.  I imagine an invisible string attached to the top of my head that runs through my body, being pull tight, straightening me out.  This is good for any running, but keeps me focused on it when running hills. 

       

      Also, best way to tackle hills, tackle LOTS of hills.  

      Add some hill running to your workout.  It doesn't have to be you burnin up the hill at top speed, but maybe it's that on one particular route you like, there is a hill.  Run up that hill as you usually would, when you hit the top turn around and run down, and run up it again, then keep going on your route like usual. 

       

      I do a lot of hill work in my training and assign a lot of it to the two teams I coach.  If you run hills regularly enough, you'll one day find yourself getting to one and thinking "man, I can do this, I do these things all the time!" 

       

      A great training buddy of mine uses the mantra that "hills are candy for runners."  I have no idea what she means, but it works for me in that I now always think of that when I come to a hill. I keep telling myself "hills are candy, hills are candy" and then I start thinking, what the hell does that even mean!? And before I know it, I'm at the top of the hill.

       

      Hills are candy.  

      HTFU?  Why not!

      USATF Coach

      Empire Tri Club Coach
      Gatorade Endurance Team

        My thanks to everyone who responded.  I'll be putting these tips into practice in the coming days and weeks and hopefully it gets better!

         

        Good luck, and stay with it! You're doing something that intimidates a lot of runners -- and you'll reap the rewards when you start to tear it up on flat terrain.

        wildchild


        Carolyn

           

          If the hill is really really long and you cant see the imaginary post at the top of the hill, you can hook it to the waist of a runner 30 ft in front of you.  That attachment point is where your eyes are at.   Not that I am advocating staring at other runners' butts but you gotta do what you gotta do. 

           

          Thanks, Ennay!  I think I'll try this technique at my upcoming marathon on Sunday -- the last 4.5 miles are uphill, and I know I'll be tired.  Maybe the "candy" reference is to "eye candy!"  Wink

          I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.


          Roadrunner's Apprentice

            Well I just came in from a 5K run at a solid 10:00/mi pace with my least favorite (i.e. steepest) hill included twice and it felt a LOT better doing the various things you all mentioned!  Kept my head up, exhaled deeply, pushed with my quads (though at times it felt like I was stomping I know I shouldn't do that) and kept saying to myself "push push push hills are candy hills are candy..."  Felt very corny but maybe that's just what I need to do!

            2014 Goals:

            - sub-26 5K : sub-56 10K : 1st half marathon

            - Tell my excuses to shut up and lace up...

            wickedlady


               

              A great training buddy of mine uses the mantra that "hills are candy for runners."  I have no idea what she means, but it works for me in that I now always think of that when I come to a hill. I keep telling myself "hills are candy, hills are candy" and then I start thinking, what the hell does that even mean!? And before I know it, I'm at the top of the hill.

               

              Hills are candy.  

               

               Haha! this is awesome.

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