what about running bleachers at a stadium?
that seems pretty similar to running up hills.
any pros or cons to this?
”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Tomas
what about running bleachers at a stadium? that seems pretty similar to running up hills. any pros or cons to this?
IMHO, stairs are VERY different than hill running, especially if you are a klutz like I am.
I just work them into my routes. I stay away from them on a daily basis because of recurrent issues with ITBS since downhill running aggravates that, but I run a hilly route at least two times per week. I have a few big hills (around here big hills = 7% or so grade and about a third of a mile in length), and then some smaller, shorter hills.
The best place to run around here is the Rocky River Reservation, which is in a valley. To get down there, you have to go up and down at least one big hill.
sugnim
I don't do formal hill repeats, but I do like to run in the hills on trails, or there is a route that I can run which is entirely uphill on the way out, and downhill on the way back. Depending upon when I turn around, this can total up to 5 miles uphill, then 5 miles downhill (below) with 2 flat miles on each end. We have a lot of hills & mountains within reach of my front door, so I'm pretty lucky that way.
It's cool to see everyone's hill workouts, though!
Go figure
Here's some hills from Hudson:
Hill sprint - 8-sec hill sprints, starting with one after an easy run, and working up to 8, twice a week (after about 4 weeks reduce the number and turn them into 10sec sprints, building up to 8 again)
Tempo hills...finish easy runs with 1-3 miles, uphill, between HMP and MP
Those are pretty much what I've been working on, although most of my runs would be considered fairly "hilly." For instance, my last 12 mile run had 530 feet of elevation gain. I guess I'm fortunate in that I really don't have to look for hills. As for the repeats, yes, I sprint up them, then jog very slowly back down and do the next one.
Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn
Skirt Runner
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
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Jess runs for bacon
I have a great park by me that's a mile loop, and about a 1/4 of it is a very steep incline (park is built on the side of a hill). I basically do circles around that, the downhill is a little more gradual) and it's cured me of being scared of most hills.
Hills are deliciously painful and one of the best things you can do for your running. There are basically three workouts I use for hills. 1. Short hill sprints. Warm up with 15-20 minutes of jogging first or do these at the end of a normal easy run. Find a steep hill and sprint up. This is an all out sprint. And I mean all out. Start with 6 sprints of 6 seconds. Walk back down to recover. Be very careful. Do too many of these and you can hurt your hamstrings. I hurt my left hamstring doing these (I stupidly started with 10 x 10) in January, 2011 and it has never fully healed. Anyway, start with 6 x 6 and gradually increase the number and the seconds. However, there is no need to go beyond 10 x 10.
Hills are deliciously painful and one of the best things you can do for your running. There are basically three workouts I use for hills.
1. Short hill sprints. Warm up with 15-20 minutes of jogging first or do these at the end of a normal easy run. Find a steep hill and sprint up. This is an all out sprint. And I mean all out. Start with 6 sprints of 6 seconds. Walk back down to recover. Be very careful. Do too many of these and you can hurt your hamstrings. I hurt my left hamstring doing these (I stupidly started with 10 x 10) in January, 2011 and it has never fully healed. Anyway, start with 6 x 6 and gradually increase the number and the seconds. However, there is no need to go beyond 10 x 10.
The only thing I would add to this is that I do some these downhill as well- about a quarter or third of the total number. So maybe I'll do 9 up with a jog down recover and then 3 or 4* down with a slow jog up recover. The down are faster, so less time as I just do the same distance- i have a couple hills where I pretty much know what will take around 10 seconds to sprint up. I think I got that from Hudson also.
*Seriously though, start with just 1 down. Or start with just the sprint ups for a few weeks and then add 1 down and build it up.
Mostly though I just find hilly routes. Sometime seven if it is a generally easy paced run, I'll push up some of the hills.
Barking Mad To Run
Tell me what you do. I haven't done any, save for the slight inclines on my daily runs. But I'm wondering a few things: -Where do you go to do them? -What is the distance? -How many repeats do you do? -When do you do them? (ie. Day of the week, before or after a particular run, same day as a particular run?) -Do you just basically run up and down the hill, back and forth until you're done? I'm figuring this is a decent time to start working on this. There's a pretty intense hill near my house that I could probably go to work on. I just need more info before I start.
Tell me what you do. I haven't done any, save for the slight inclines on my daily runs. But I'm wondering a few things:
-Where do you go to do them?
-What is the distance?
-How many repeats do you do?
-When do you do them? (ie. Day of the week, before or after a particular run, same day as a particular run?)
-Do you just basically run up and down the hill, back and forth until you're done?
I'm figuring this is a decent time to start working on this. There's a pretty intense hill near my house that I could probably go to work on. I just need more info before I start.
Where: I have several routes around town that I can choose from. I don't like hill repeats, so these are routes that are just about all hills the whole way. Varying sizes of hills, so gives me a very nice diverse hill workout, both uphills and downhills. I like this better than repeats, because this kind of training simulates race conditions more, IMHO. You don't run up and down the same hill 10 times in a race do you?
What is the distance: I can no longer go over 10K distance without having some real pain (stupid arthritis), so my hill routes vary from 3 to 6 miles.
Repeats: none.
When: Once a week, usually a Tuesday or a Thursday. I also prefer PM running to AM running, so I usually do mine after work.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
You don't run up and down the same hill 10 times in a race do you?
No, but I don't run short segments at faster than the goal pace 10 times in a row in a race either
That said, i agree that some of the best hill training is just running on hilly routes.
I don't really have much to add, everyone has already said the important things, remember to shorten your stride and I alternate between these two quotes to get me through: "Thank you for hills and strength for climbing" and "up and over" it reminds me that I'm lucky enough to have the ability to run a hill at all, keeps things in perspective, and once I'm over the hill, it's downhill afterthat!
Better than all of you
Unless you plan to race a hilly course, hills are stupid and a great way for low mileage runners to get injured..