The dreaded hills. Ugh! They place so much demand on the body, screw up our pace and rhythm, slow us down and exhaust us. Don’t fret. We will overcome! With some practice, a little strategy and proper form will make all the difference.
First and foremost you have got to run hills in training in order to be able to run them well in a race. That just goes without saying. Instead of constantly looking for “flat as a pancake” race course, practice hills drills instead. Who said training is easy? But you will thank yourself when in a race you fly up those hills as others do the defeated slouchy dead man shuffle.
Now, strategy is a totally different thing than training and it requires its own mental discipline. I don’t believe in one size fits all kind of strategy so let’s just review some out there and practice them to see what works best. It might actually be different depending on a race, how steep the hills are and how you feel. Running by effort is a pretty common strategy because it allows you to maintain the same effort despite the elevation. What that practically means is you slow down on the uphills enough that it would feel the same as if you were running on a flat surface. The idea is that you will make up for it on the downhills. Does it work? Yes it does, particularly on a rolling hills (steep up and down) type course. You don’t want to burn out quickly so you manage your effort by slowing down and speeding up by feel.
If the course is not rolling hills or if the hills are not too steep, another strategy can be applied. If you’re feeling strong and the incline is not too bad, you can apply a slight forward lean and put those glutes to good work by powering up without slowing you down. Stepping up lightly almost like a spring and keeping those knees high is the key to not overtaxing the body. Still be mindful of the effort and don’t overdo it.
Another strategy that I find useful particularly on a very hilly course, when your legs are starting to burn and even slowing down is not helping, start pumping your arms more. Believe it or not, your arms play a vital role in running and especially in uphill running they can be invaluable. Normally a 90 degree angle with a relaxed swing is all that’s needed on a flat surface but running uphill demands different mechanics. To develop what I call “running arms”, start using weights in a simulated and slightly exaggerated running motion. Try to last at least a minute, break, then repeat two more times. This could be a part of your normal strength training as you incorporate more and more of running supported exercises. Using weights in a running motion develops strength in all the upper body muscles involved and so you give yourself another tool to help you overcome those difficult hills.
Which brings me to posture.
Let’s talk about proper uphill body position. Does it matter? Oh yeah, it matters a whole lot. Keeping your chest up will maintain an optimal airflow. Slumped running form actually restricts the normal air passage and ends up sabotaging your run making it feel way harder than it needs to be. So bend at the hips and not at the stomach. To help develop this “chest forward” posture, do lots of pushups, particularly the stop/drop/hands release type. Once you get used to this position, it will become second nature.
Another thing to note is what the front leg is doing and what the back leg is doing. The front leg is driving up with the knee and stepping lightly on the ball of your foot, exploding up almost as quickly as you landed. The idea is you want to be up in the air as soon as possible. The back leg depends on the power and spring of your Achilles tendon as you push off with as much force as you can muster up. The flexibility of your plantar will also be a defining moment as you load your lower leg to propel you not just forward but also up. The more hills you practice the more you need to spend time taking care of your feet, ankles and calves which should include lots of stretching and massaging to maintain the health of all the affected muscles.
And last but not least, don’t let them intimidate you. Attack the hills, as you would any challenge, with confidence and badass attitude. You got this!