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 ^{Running Hill Repeats}

1.     Before starting to do a hill workout, you will want to warm-up by running easy for 10-15 minutes.      Before starting your hill repeats, be sure to stretch.  Concentrate on your hamstrings and quads.

  2.      Choose a hill with a 5-15% grade that will take you 1 ½  to 3 minutes to ascend at a hard pace.  Plan on running four or five hill repeats the first week; the amount of repeats will go up as your fitness level/comfort with hills improves.

  3.     You want to run at about 85% intensity (as if you were running a 10-K as hard as you could—fast, but under control).  Your intensity and effort should be consistent across each interval.

  4.     Each interval should take the same amount of time to complete.  If you slow down over the last couple intervals, you started out too fast.  The time of your first interval should be the same and the time of your last interval. 

  5.     If there is a flat area at the base of the hill, give yourself a 20-30 meter “head start”, so that you are not starting on the incline from a dead stop.  This eliminates the strain of a standing start on a steep slope.

  6.     Maintain good form running up the hill: head up, arms moving front-to-back, and a slightly exaggerated knee-raise.  Make sure to shorten your stride so that your leg turnover is the same as it is on flat land.

  7.     At the top, don’t stop!  Run through the “finish line” at the top of the hill.  Use the lap timer on your watch to record each uphill/downhill interval.

  8.     Run back down the hill slowly and gently to recover from the uphill and to reduce the impact on your knees and quadriceps (running downhill is demanding on your body, as it causes 30-35% more impact on your body than flat land running).  It should take at least twice as long to find your way back to the base of the hill.  You do want to make sure you have at least moderately recovered before beginning your next interval.

  9.     After finishing your last interval, cool down by running easy for 10-15 minutes.  As with any workout, be sure to fully stretch after your workout.