This site is kept in loving memory of Trish Reske, who passed in October of 2021.
Trish was a writer - this site captures a bit of her incredible sense of humor.
You can read Trish's full obituary here.

Running Hills

The Cape Cod Marathon Relay - Very Hilly!

The Cape Cod Marathon Relay - Very Hilly!

Week #5

The world is not flat. Neither is the terrain outside your door. Unless you live in Florida, you are likely going to being running on roads that dip, bend, rise and drop – sometimes all in the space of a quarter mile. In this blog post, we’ll be talking about the best, most efficient way to run hills – both up and down.

First, let me tell you the good news: running hills can be as fun as they are challenging. You may not agree at first, but after you’ve run your eighth lap around a track, you’ll actually be glad to get out of a flat, boring loop and see the road rise before you. Running uphill develops your stamina and muscle strength.  And running downhill can be absolutely freeing, as you let your body go with the gravity. What’s more, learning to run efficiently in different elevations helps you feel more confident as a runner, and gives you new appreciation for the flat parts of the road.

Here are some simple form techniques to take on the hills without having them take you out. These techniques are adapted from the book Chi Running by Danny Dreyer. If you haven’t read the Week #1 blog post on optimum running posture, please do so this week.

Uphill Running

Many first-time runners shy away from hills primarily because they are trying to use the same form and maintain the same speed on an uphill as they do on a level road, which can be very tiring. When running up a hill, here’s what you can do to reduce the effort required to make it to the top:

1. Shorten your stride.  As you approach a hill, keep the same overall tempo, but take smaller steps up the hill. Keep your lower body relaxed. Think about “changing gears” like you would on a bike, and shift to a lower gear, i.e. shorter stride.

2. Get your upper body in gear. When running uphill, use your upper body to get to up the hill. Think of your arms as a clock, and raise your hands to “1 o’clock,” with your elbows swinging parallel to the ground and “pump” yourself up the hill. Think about punching yourself in the chin (but don’t do it!)

3. Lean into the hill. Keep your body forward into the hill, so that your feet don’t get in front of you. On a hill, you want to lead with your upper body and arms, not your legs.

4. Keep your feet flat. Don’t rise up on your toes. That will put extra strain on your calves. Instead, stay on the balls of your feet.

5. For really steep uphills:  Try running “zig zag.” Take a few steps toward your left, then cross over and run to the right of the road. The overall effect is to lessen the actual incline you are running by covering the hill at an angle. Try it – it works!

Some hills can look intimidating, so don’t look at them! Instead of focusing on the hill in front of you, focus on your form, and look at the road. Imagine it’s flat, not uphill (but keep your uphill form). This mental trick works for me, and before I know it, I’m at the top of the hill.

Downhill Running

Running down a hill should be easy, right? Wouldn’t the ultimate course be mostly downhill? It’s not. In fact, the primary reason the Boston Marathon is such a challenging course is not Heartbreak Hill, or the other hills of Newton. It’s the 17 miles on downhill that come before. All that downhill running, if not run efficiently puts a lot of stress on runners’ quadriceps.

To run efficiently downhill, use the following techniques:

1. Relax. Take the downhills lightly. Don’t let your body get ahead of yourself. Instead, let the gravity of the hill “carry” you down comfortably. Think light on your feet.

2. Lean into the hill. This will fell counterintuitive at first. When you’re running downhill, your natural reaction is to straighten up or even lean a bit back to stop yourself from going too fast. Instead, let yourself go with the hill and carry you down comfortably.

3. Open up your stride. As you run downhill, lengthen your stride in back of you. That is, keep your feet flat on the ground, and then release your legs behind you along and let your hips swing back with your legs for a smoother, easier ride.

4. Relax your arms. Whereas uphills require much more upper body effort, downhills don’t. On a downhill, keep your arms relaxed at your side at about “5 o’clock”. Sometimes, I let my arms “hang” and shake them out on a downhill. It’s a good way of getting out the tension in your upper body.

5. For really steep downhills: For a very steep hill, shorten your stride, use your heels as brakes, and try to stay relaxed.

Like anything new, learning to run hills efficiently takes some practice. The key to enjoying elevation is to focus on your form, take your time, enjoy the view and accomplishment at the top of each hill, and let yourself relax and float down other side. And remember, what goes up must come down 🙂

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