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Running hills, help or hurt
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 2009-09-02 4:43 PM |
Expert  1010  Greer, SC |  Subject: Running hills, help or hurtHave running question... The regular route that I run has quite a few hills. Some of these hills have as much as a 11% grade in certain areas. With my HIM coming up in a few weeks, I have been following my plan and getting in the runs I am supposed to. Will the hills help or hurt my run considering the run course is supposed to be flat? I have read both. Some have said my body is adjusting to the hills working certain muscles and may not be working the correct muscles for a flat run course. Others have said it will just make me a stronger runner on a flat course. Thoughts? |
| 2009-09-02 4:48 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Champion 7595    Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt |
| 2009-09-02 4:51 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Elite 3315 Miami | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt running uphill and downhill i vote help also. i have been running bridges last 3-4 weeks on 1 of my days, just up and down up and down and it seems to help me on the flat runs. my distances are increasing and legs don't get sore... |
| 2009-09-02 4:56 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Regular 95 Oregon City, Oregon | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt x3 on help. Or at least I know mixing in some hill work has helped with my speed. But like your distance, I would introduce hills slowly to allow your body to adjust. I also assume that when you say hills, you're not being driven to the bottom of a hill and only run up from there. As long as your route has some uphill, downhill and flat segments, I can't see why it wouldn't do anything but help. |
| 2009-09-02 5:44 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Expert 2555 Colorado Springs, Colorado | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt In general the hills should help. A possible drawback would be that your body may not be ready to run at a steady pace on a long flat course. Unless you're putting forth the same effort on the downs as you do on the ups, you may be getting adjusted to having somewhat of a recovery period during your runs. These things are relatively minor and likely don't outweigh the benefits of hill running. However, if you can, you might want to do at least one long run on a flat course just to gauge the effort level. No biggie though if you can't fit it in. |
| 2009-09-02 5:49 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Veteran 274 Everett, WA | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt I live in a hilly area & the only way to increase my miles without doing several 2-3 mile loops is to go down the bigger hills & come back. Last weekend I ran a 10k on a pretty flat course - I don't think there were any hills over 3% and only a handful of small rises. Even so, I found that folks that I was pacing on the flat areas were falling back quickly-even on these small rises. So I believe that hills help. But take it with a grain of salt - I still ended up 45:05. |
| 2009-09-02 6:16 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Expert 973 Berkeley, Calif. | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt My understanding, being still very new to all of this, is that running hills is great for building strength early in the training process, but as you get closer to race day it's more beneficial to run routes that are similar to the race course. My experience: I also live in an area where most of my running has to be on hills. My first half mary was a totally flat course and I've always felt like the lack of hills was harder on my legs because it was a more constant pounding and I didn't get the "recovery" of running downhill. But it was my first half, so it was probably going to hurt no matter what, heh. |
| 2009-09-02 6:56 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Expert 1010 Greer, SC | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt I don't know if it will go through, but here is the information from my Garmin from my run this morning: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/12458065 What do you think? |
| 2009-09-02 8:11 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Master 2158 | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt X 4 (or whatever number) on help. Overall, it is beneficial for your running. I live in South Florida, and there really aren't any hills. I have run the Disney marathon 3 times, and there are hardly any hills. I think that running on the flat for hours at a time hurts because your muscles don't get much variation. That being said, it hasn't gotten any better, I have just gotten used to it. Running long on flat just plain hurts. |
| 2009-09-02 8:17 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Expert 1690 | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt I've always run on hills, the more the better, my course includes no less than 2 13% grades and 1 long 10-11% hill. When i hit flats i can run quite well for a while but it seems when i start to fatigue the wall comes quick. I assume this is cause i get a lot of recovery time going down hill and none on flats. Hills keep me honest i never feel cheated no matter how far i run. |
| 2009-09-02 8:20 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Master 1557 Maine | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt You will be a stronger runner on a flat course. If you ran exclusively up hill, all the time, then fine, there may be some kind of (weak) argument that you are "not working the correct muscles", but I'm guessing that your routes have uphills, downhills, and flats, which will help to make you a balanced and stronger runner. |
| 2009-09-02 9:32 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt One thing 'd like to add: for me at least, there is a significant difference in the mental challenge of running hills versus running flats (for long runs). Maintaining a hard pace over a very long, flat, boring, course is (for me) quite a bit harder (mentally) than going hard over a series of rolling hills. If your race is going to be on the flats, I'd try to get a few longer tempo runs in on the flats, if only to be prepared for the mental challenge. For an added challenge, do this on a track. (I once did an 18 mile run on a 1/7 mile track. THAT was mentally challenging!) |
| 2009-09-03 6:57 AM in reply to: #2385845 |
Extreme Veteran 837 Wellesley, Massachusetts | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt x5 on it helping. A good friend of mine who is a super marathoner told me to interchange speed work for hill work in my marathon training plan. She said both are beneficial as long as I am doing the workout correctly. I think other posters are also correct in that you'll probably have a greater mental challenge as you won't have to think about tackling hills, but maintaining pace over a long, flat course. IMO- as long as you've done your training, you'll be ok. Have fun and good luck on your race! |
| 2009-09-05 10:18 PM in reply to: #2385845 |
Member 26 | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt Hills and speedwork will definately help your running. Make you stronger and give you endurance. Dont laugh but Lance Armstrong has a workout you can download on your ipod that is 40 mins. 8 min warmup and 4 -four minute all out interval training. (4 on 4 slightly slower). Great music. Have done 10 marathons and use this (I add another 20 minutes) as a great alternative to hill training. |
| 2009-09-05 10:55 PM in reply to: #2385941 |
Master 2372 | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt oldntrin - 2009-09-02 5:49 PM So I believe that hills help. But take it with a grain of salt - I still ended up 45:05. Oh yeah, 'cause that is super slow... (Can I borrow your legs for the run leg of my tri next weekend?) |
| 2009-09-06 7:20 AM in reply to: #2385845 |
Elite 2423 | Subject: RE: Running hills, help or hurt Help. |
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