RunningAHEAD - Topic: Whats the correct way to run downhill?

BaldMike

posted: 1/17/2008 at 4:54 PM

I have picked up my pace over the last month, my tempo runs are now around 7:30 per mile pace. I have learned, for me at least, the best way for me to run up hills, but now coming down them at the faster paces is starting to hurt. Maybe its my increased mileage or something, but my hips and quads scream after doing several downhills during my intervals and tempo runs. I hear everyone talk about the quads hurting during the downhills at the Boston Marathon and now Ii sort of understand. So the question is, is there a correct way to run downhill?

PR 10k - 47: 41 in 2007, goal to break 45 minuntes in 2008 PR 13.1 - 1:44:19 PR 26.2 - 4:24 in 2007, goal to break 3:45 in March 2008 Upcoming races: March 2008 - ING GA Marathon July 2008 - Peachtree Road Race And hopefully the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008.

jsobo119

posted: 1/17/2008 at 5:35 PM

Great question... I have been thinking about this lately! I have an urge to bounce up in the air a bit so I land more mid foot... so that I don't thump thump thump down the hill... perhaps I am sitting too much as I run down hill? should you lengthen your stride... or take shorter strides? How do you slow down?

Lifesabeach

posted: 1/17/2008 at 5:48 PM

tuck n roll Clowning around

Jennifer mm#1231

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 1/17/2008 at 6:17 PM

When you are running downhill, lean forward a little and try not to land on your heel. A midfoot strike is much better: 1. You won't bang into the ground as hard 2. Your feet will absorb the impact as they are supposed to, rather than sending it through your legs 3. You'll go faster 4. If it is at all slick, you are less likely to slip with more surface area hitting the ground

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 1/17/2008 at 6:29 PM

Perpendicular to the surface. Do not overstride.

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

Figbash

posted: 1/17/2008 at 6:50 PM

It feels weird but you really do need to lean forward or down the hill. At the same time to stay in control you'll need to shorten your stride. The combination of these two things will keep your stride length short and keep you off your heels which is what pounds the heck out of your legs. Tom

MrFinn

Prince of Fatness

posted: 1/17/2008 at 6:57 PM

I try to focus on turnover, which I think results in what others have said, don't over stride, etc. I think braking is what beats your legs up.

Not at it at all.

ultraguy

posted: 1/17/2008 at 10:16 PM

If your quads are still screaming that tells me you need to do more hill training. Have fun with it, you have plenty of time to prep for Boston and the hills in Boston are not really hills, just some pleasant rolling terrain. On the downhills let your body go and relax. A comfortable medium stride will do just fine, just don't fight it and don't put on the brakes (unless really necessary). After a while the quads will be used to the downhills.

invisible

posted: 1/17/2008 at 11:20 PM

The 3 L's, lift, land and lean. Lift your knees, lean from the hips and aim to land on your toes.

90 percent of the game is not giving up.

ainokea

posted: 1/18/2008 at 8:25 AM

Quoth the Book of Daws, Chapter 4, Section 4: [T]he keys to running down hills economically and fast without injury are relaxation and practice. The way to begin is to get on a soft surface-grass or dirt- that is free of hiles and lumps so you can relax without fear of turning an ankle. Then practice free-wheeling, progressively taking off the brakes... Downhill speed is controlled by forward lean. Think of your body as a lever. When you want to go faster, push the lever forward (and your center of gravity)... Inexperienced hill runners run with the lever way back, digging in with their heels, causing more trauma to the legs than if they were able to just let go... ... Don't pump [the arms]; keep them low and in counter-rhythm with the legs. On uneven trails your arms will be all over, perhaps shooting out to the side, lifting and dropping like flaps on an airplane... As others note, once you get the hang of leaning forward down the hill and with a few weeks of practice, fast downhill running is f-u-n. The ability to run downhills is quite effective in races, too.

fisher

posted: 1/18/2008 at 10:19 AM

Everyone's been saying lean forward, it's totally right, but it takes some getting used to. When you first start consciously trying to get that right it feels really bizarre. In fact, it will almost certainly feel like you're about to spin wildly out of control, that's why it takes practice. Also, I'd tend to suggest letting your arms down a bit more, I tend to take slightly longer strides, but you really do need to make sure that stride length is adjusted a bit so that you can stay in control of yourself.

~J

Anya_

posted: 1/18/2008 at 10:36 AM

When I had my ITband injury, running downhill was almost impossible. I still fear running down hills. I will try your suggestions.

- Anya

BaldMike

posted: 1/18/2008 at 11:07 AM

Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer me. I have experimented with leaning back and forward more, forward feels more comfortable, except it does increase the speed at which i decend the hill and does make me feel a little out of control on the steeper hills. Now that I know leaning forward is the right way, I will keep practicing my stride length and arm/ hand location to see what I can get right for me. Here is another question to go with the original now that I have some answers. I wear a Heart Monitor and have noticed that when I lean forward and accelerate down the hills my heart rate goes up, not as much as running up the hills, but it does go up because of the effort put into acceperating down the hill. So this question is, should I be accelerating down the hills or "cruising" so to speak? I ask because when I was new to this I used downhills as a break, especially after an up hill climb. I would use the downhill to allow my heart rate to come back down a bit. Now on my tempo runs and races lately, I have used the downhills as a place to bank time or pick up a couple seconds. I know this is fine for races, but should I continuously do it during training? I hope this makes sense..........

PR 10k - 47: 41 in 2007, goal to break 45 minuntes in 2008 PR 13.1 - 1:44:19 PR 26.2 - 4:24 in 2007, goal to break 3:45 in March 2008 Upcoming races: March 2008 - ING GA Marathon July 2008 - Peachtree Road Race And hopefully the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008.

Jeff

Why is it sideways?

posted: 1/18/2008 at 11:15 AM

It does make sense that your heart rate is increasing, but it doesn't have to. Leaning into the downhills is the way to go, but for it to work, you've got to be able to relax. You can both speed up and recover on the downhills, but you've got to gain the coordination that makes it possible not to fear letting it rip down the hill. If you're "out of control," you'll still be using more energy because you'll be activating all sorts muscles in order to maintain your balance. You can get the coordination required to relax through practice--the challenge will be getting used to running quickly. The more you do it, the more efficient you'll become.

slowgino

posted: 1/18/2008 at 3:13 PM

Quote from Trent on 1/17/2008 at 6:29 PM:

Perpendicular to the surface. Do not overstride.

This is GREAT advice. Your cadence will go up, that's ok.

Whats the correct way to run downhill? (Read 1137 times)