Why not just get into the meat of trail running huh? So I have some nasty buggers near my house. My glutes are more muscular than ever. Okay. But how can I keep my HR down and my pace up? Suggestions for skills, techniques? How do people do this stuff?

I've been running and racing for over 32 years...and one thing I learned way back is to try to maintain the same effort when running hills. If a runner goes by you, let them go stay with your effort and after you reach the top push down the other side. You'll catch the runner who is now dead from running the hill hard. Another thing about HR...there is no way you'll be able to maintain your HR over a hill. I've tried and other than walking, it always goes up...but you can try to maintain effort, which will be about the best you'll do. These days I specialize in doing 100 mile races. You notice i don't say "run" 100 miler races...the races that I do, you generally walk the hills or you don't finish. I personally know Karl Meltzer, who was chosen as Ultrarunner of the year last year and he walks most of the hills. An old saying back when I started this madness is unless you can see over the hill, walk it. Well, you can't see over any hill, so you walk them all in ultrarunning or you don't finish! Years ago when I was heavy into road racing, I never walked a hill. The only place I walked was Mt Washington RR. So, go into a hill and try to imagine maintaining effort, breathing, etc. and you will be doing the right thing. Hope this helps... Steve

I remember reading once that some guy said: "I don't see the need to attack the hills. I let them come to me." I'll attack a hill in a road race (or at least surge over the top) if it's like the only one and I'm in good enough shape to make a break. On trails, there's always another hill. Let them come to you...

Thanks guys

I walked the steeper hills when I ran my first 50k. It worked out well for me.