12

Hills: love/hate relationship (Read 188 times)

    usually when I have any kind of minor/moderate injury I try to get out on  the trails more.   Usually the softer & always changing surfaces seem to help in most cases.   Been having issues with left foot past week or so & feels like beginning stage of PF.  Usually on Sundays I do a longer 10-13 mile  run on a rolling uneven rough road with couple of decent hills.  thought that the extra support of my Cascadias & getting off pavement would help.    So did just over 8 miles at a rough hilly county park through the trees.  Lots of single track with rocks/roots/mud & no flat ground throughout.    Had a great run & wicked fun!   no issues really of any kind except I was wiped out.  A few people/dogs/horses  on the main trails so stuck mostly to the single tracks where I did not see a single sole (pun intended).

     

    So while I was running  I was thinking that really there is a strong love/hate relationsip between myself & these trails.  Love the w/o,  the trees, the quietness, wildlife  & most days the solitude.  but man, on the other hand I hate starting because I know the trails/hills are going to kick my butt.   and they did today!   but tonight sitting here with a cup of hot chocolate I have a warm fuzzy feeling thinking of today's w/o & love/hate relationship.  I think that if I do this more often like I used to there would be more love.

     

    anyone else want to share about any type of run or w/o where you have this type of relationship?

      I have zero hate for trails.  You just need to know when to back off.  If your achilles is screaming, running trails with lots of technical stuff is probably not a good idea.

        ... I think that if I do this more often like I used to there would be more love.

         

        anyone else want to share about any type of run or w/o where you have this type of relationship?

        Yep, doing more hills makes them smaller - well, maybe not so big.

         

        I usually run somewhat randomly, but this past summer I was attempting to follow a plan (never a good idea, but tried) which had me doing some of the same workouts on a weekly basis - yikes, every 7 days with no real variation. Same trails and hills, just more repetitive. They got easier as the summer progressed. Same hills I'd always run, just in a way that I could see progress better, rather than always adding more hills.

         

        And the scenery is usually better at the top. Smile

         

        Before I started structured running (10+ yr ago), I had some AT/PF issues where I was banned from hilly trails and asphalt and could barely walk for awhile. I did  a lot of PT and foot/ankle strengthening over the years to the point that I can handle most things (except lateral slopes) - knock on wood. I value the variability of trail surfaces and the hills to keep my feet healthy without having to "exercise".

         

        And, yea, if you're having PF issues, hills might not be the best right now. Good luck.

        "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog

          Yep, doing more hills makes them smaller - well, maybe not so big.

           

          After yesterday's run, I agree fully with this statement. I used to log my runs as easy (flat) or hills (with hills). As I have ventured around finding new routes, I realized that all of my enjoyable, favorite runs were in hilly terrain. I have since even began logging the hilly runs as easy.

           

          Yesterday I ran my first 10k and I never even looked at the map. I decided to just run it for completion, knowing that it was an automatic PR. As I got into the first couple miles and started getting a good rythem going, I passed a good number of people who started out too fast. What I didn't realize was that miles 2-4 were UPHILL. I had a blast. I bet I passed at least 100 people. Of course the last two miles downhill were fast and furious and again, I was amazed at how many people were walking. In the end, I came in 10 minutes faster then my "estimated" goal time.


          Running Chick

            It's the perspective, like everything else.  i wrote an article about hill running  recently for the paper (sometime this summer) and i wish i could find the link - i would point you to it.  but,, what i found was that i THOUGHT i had been running hills.  all this time.  all these years.  and then i took a trip to upstate NY and my perspective changed drastically.  comically.  i think anytime we change up and/or challenge ourselves, it's a good thing - even if there's a little bit of hate mixed in.....  Wink  love.

              I'm keeping a close watch over my foot, don't worry. Foot is better today after running the trails/hills yesterday.  sometimes in training for particular race or racing season there is a period where you are close to the edge of what you can handle & overtraining/injury.  To get there of course a good base is needed & then you need to slowly add a new levels of stress to your overall training to get close to that edge.  From there the question is "can I hold this level or should I back off".  Each time its a learning experience.

               

              I don't do alot of structured hill work but most directions from my house there are hills or "inclines"    Just getting back home requires getting back up a hill at the end of the run.  Can confront it from couple different ways that makes the hill anywhere from .5 to just over a mile.   Trail running & especially yesterday's run pretty much involves hills.  Sometimes I do what I call "hill fartleks".  different lengths, different grade, different speeds.   I rarely get passed in races on the hills or 2nd half of a race.  but alot of that is a matter of where my particular place is in races.   Probably pass 10 for every 1 that passes me.  no where near the top runners

              catwhoorg


              Labrat

                I curse and moan at the local hills when I'm doing regular runs. (or bike rides).

                 

                I appreciate what they have done for me when I pass people on hills in races. My recent tri, folks dismounted on some hills, whilst I just kept going right past em.

                 

                Hills build strength, they build character.

                 

                They still suck when you do them daily.

                5K  20:23  (Vdot 48.7)   9/9/17

                10K  44:06  (Vdot 46.3)  3/11/17

                HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17

                FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18

                 

                  like I said:   love/hate

                  Trent


                  Good Bad & The Monkey

                    We've got big hills.

                    jmctav23


                    2/3rds training

                      8k feet of gain/loss last week...mine is mostly a love relationship

                        ...

                        I don't do alot of structured hill work but most directions from my house there are hills or "inclines"    Just getting back home requires getting back up a hill at the end of the run.  Can confront it from couple different ways that makes the hill anywhere from .5 to just over a mile.   Trail running & especially yesterday's run pretty much involves hills.  Sometimes I do what I call "hill fartleks".  different lengths, different grade, different speeds.   I rarely get passed in races on the hills or 2nd half of a race.  but alot of that is a matter of where my particular place is in races.   Probably pass 10 for every 1 that passes me.  no where near the top runners

                        Yep, I mostly run rollers, run / hike medium ones, and hike the big ones. Anything resembling a structured workout is made up on the spur of the moment depending upon traction, what my legs feel like, and what my goals for that day are - oh, and traffic.

                         

                        Today's love (only went about half way up, which was goal - 2000ft in about 2.2mi)

                        (actually, this is an old pic, but it was already online. Same view with less green would be yesterday's shot)

                        "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
                        NikoRosa


                        Funky Kicks 2019

                          I used to hate, now I appreciate them.  Unless it is really snowy.

                           

                          Lately I have been dealing with a myriad of injuries, but somehow running uphill doesn't hurt anywhere.

                          Leah, mother of dogs

                            around 900' /mile      thats some fairly serious incline.   don't think I could run that.    live somewhat close to the Cascade foothills but does require 40-60 minutes to get to the real hiking/running trails.   with travel time & running/hiking takes 1/2 to full day out of schedule.  Otherwise would get up there much more often.

                             

                            Yep, I mostly run rollers, run / hike medium ones, and hike the big ones. Anything resembling a structured workout is made up on the spur of the moment depending upon traction, what my legs feel like, and what my goals for that day are - oh, and traffic.

                             

                            Today's love (only went about half way up, which was goal - 2000ft in about 2.2mi)

                            (oops, gotta find someplace to stick it online)

                            Pedro P Sousa


                              I love hills, namely long hill repeats, not least because I find that they can fit comparable hammering to a long run on the flats in about the time that a "medium" run might take. Smile

                              Psychologically I just find them easier to handle that flat intervals. Same elevated HR (perhaps not quite as much), less speed but more of a test of muscular endurance I find.

                              And on the opposite end I have trouble running pure intervals on the flat... not least because I don't have access to a nearby track, but also because I just have trouble focusing on them if not doing them in a group (which I rarely will). Would much rather do tempo work.

                                around 900' /mile      thats some fairly serious incline.   don't think I could run that.    live somewhat close to the Cascade foothills but does require 40-60 minutes to get to the real hiking/running trails.   with travel time & running/hiking takes 1/2 to full day out of schedule.  Otherwise would get up there much more often.

                                 

                                Most of us mortals are hiking those types of slopes when they're that long and steep, but some people can run them - IF good footing (not the trail I was on yesterday) and only one lap. The link below is from a race (different mountain), and you can see at least one person running for parts.

                                 Alyeska Climbathon pics

                                Like I said, what's not to love about hills like that. Smile  (just don't ask toward end of the 10 hrs)

                                (World Mountain Running Trophy races were held on a different trail on that mountain 10 yr ago, and those men and women were running the hill. VERY impressive to watch.)

                                 

                                I will do some hill repeats (3-5min) at the base of one of our mountains (about 20-25%) when I've got the hill base to make it worthwhile.

                                "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
                                12