In my blog post Benefits of hill training I explain why it is beneficial for runners to incorporate hill training in their training programs.
Hill training can be used to improve speed or endurance. Hills can be used for sprint training or marathon training. Hills are great for new runners who want to build good running habits or for long time runners who want to change up their running programs. Understanding the different types of hill training workouts will help you to decide which hill trainings are most beneficial for your running goal.
Here are some examples of the different types of hill training workouts you can do:
1. Hills for starters
Running up a hill is very different to running on a flat surface. For new runners, it is recommended to practice technique. This will ensure that you develop a good technique for more intense hill repeats and will prevent injury. Run up a hill for 5 seconds. Walk down. Then run for 8 seconds. Walk down. Then run up for 12 seconds. Walk down. If you feel strong, repeat the sequence.
Do this workout once a week. When you become fitter, increase either the number of repeats or the duration of the rep.
2. Going up
Running up a hill is not easy. Therefore, it is important to monitor your efforts. You can do this by either monitoring your heartrate on your watch or a heart rate monitor or by monitoring your breathing.
Decide on a goal for yourself in terms of running up a hill, for example, chose a hill and decide to run uphill for 5 minutes. For the 5 minutes you only focus on your stride and your effort. Focus on keeping the effort consistent.
3. Going down
Running downhill is just as important as running uphill. Running downhill helps with balance and joint strengthening. Keep your arms wider and slightly lower than usual while running downhill. Focus on controlling your strides as you go down.
Sequence training examples:
a) After a run, do 4 to 6 repeats of 50m/100m, depending on your fitness level. As you become more comfortable with running downhill, you can increase the distance. As you become fitter, adjust your running pace.
b) Start the training session with a 10-minute warm up jog. Run 100m uphill at a comfortable pace, run down at a harder (but still comfortable) pace. Repeat 6 times. As you become fitter, you can add more repeats OR you can find a steeper hill.
c) Find a running route (1km to 2km loop) that has uphill and downhill parts. After a 10-minute warm up jog, run the loop. Uphills are to be run at a comfortable and controlled pace. Downhills are to be run at a faster pace. Rest 2 minutes and repeat the loop two to four times. As you become fitter, add more loops, run the loop faster or reduce the rest time in between loops.
4. Speed work (for the less experienced runner)
Doing sprints uphill helps build leg strength. This is important for all runners.
An example of an uphill sprint session: 5 x 1 min uphill run. Walk or jog back to the starting point. Rest 2-3 minutes. 5x 45s uphill run. Walk or jog back to the starting point. 3 x 30s uphill run. Walk or jog back to the starting point.
You can alternate the session with the timing of reps for example: 45s x 5; 30s x 5 and 15s x 3 instead of the example as mentioned above.
5. Speed work (for the more experienced runner)
Find yourself a steep hill where you could run your hill repeats on a weekly basis. Run uphill for 10-12 seconds or measure 80m-100m. Run as hard as you can when going up and walk down to the starting point at a slow pace while breathing deeply to get your heart rate controlled. Repeat 4 to 6 times. Build up over the weeks to 8-12 reps.
6. Sandy hills
When going back to South Africa, I love to go to the beach and do hill repeats on the sand dunes. Hard work! Low impact! Lots of fun!
Warm up on the hard(er) sand with a 10-minute jog. Find a sand dune that has a steep incline. Run for 10-12 seconds up the hill. Work your arms as hard as you can and control your breathing. Then walk down slowly while catching your breath. Repeat 4-8 times. Build up to more reps over time.
Best way to end the session: refresh with a swim in the ocean (and maybe even an ice cream).
To find out more about the benefits of running in general, see this blog post.
Great post!