Running: How to Tackle Hills
Running can be difficult at the best of times, let alone when you're running up hill. We moved house back in November to a place that's surrounded by hills, so I can't go for a run without heading up or down at least one long, quite steep hill.
So for someone who has been running for the last two years, hills of this calibre are something I myself have had to get used to and tackle in a way that makes me comfortable and doesn't exacerbate the ankle injuries I have.
Pace yourself from the start
It can be easy to start your run off quickly or to give it your all at the very beginning, but when you know there are hills involved, you should conserve your energy so you can take those hills on to the best of your ability. You should also pace yourself when running up the hill.
Don't try and get up to a fast speed, as you would on flat ground, because this will burn a lot of your energy and could even cause an injury if you haven't warmed up enough beforehand. Pace yourself throughout your run and you'll soon make short work of running up those pesky hills.
Ensure good form
Approach the hill with the right form. Make sure your arms are at a 90 degree angle, moving forwards and backwards rotating at the shoulder. You should also look ahead, not side-to-side and keep your gaze should settle on something further away rather than at the floor. This will help to maintain your effort levels, meaning you'll be less likely to end up at the top of the hill sore and out of breath.
Alter your arm swing
It can be a common misconception that it's better to keep your arms up and swing them considerably. But this isn't actually the case. Your arms should be kept low and the swings should be shorter but quicker. By doing this, your legs will stay lower to the ground, resulting in a shorter, quicker stride. You should also make sure that your hands are relaxed and not in a fist or strained outwards.
Return to your normal stride when you reach the top
Once you've reached the top of the hill, you want to recover from it as quickly as possible. Once it starts to level off to flat ground, you should pick up your normal speed. You might find that running on flat ground becomes easier, feeling almost as if you're running downhill, which you will eventually. Use this time to recover from your run up the hill and do not stop, as much as you really want to.
Take care when running down the hill
Be careful when running down the hill. This is when trips and falls could occur. Lean forward slightly and take short, quick strides as opposed to long and quick or even long and slow strides. Running downhill in itself is almost a rest, so don't take it slow because you need to keep your muscles warm. Not only will shorter strides make it easier and safer to run down the hill, but it'll also reduce the pounding you experience on your legs.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments below how you've been getting on tackling hill running recently and I'll see you again soon with a brand new blog post :)
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