Whenever a question is posed about a particular marathon or race, one of the first questions asked is, "Is it hilly"? In general, most runners steer away from hilly courses, but if you train on hills, you can race on hills. Training on hills is really a benefit to your overall running program. Hill training can make you a better runner on the flat and on the track because in order to have good speed, you must have strong upper thigh and hamstring muscles. Hill running can develop these areas significantly by increasing the amount of resistance that your body can adapt to.

Benefits of Hill Running

By running hilly courses, you will enable your body to adapt to a new level. And by running a specific hill interval workout, you will be fine-tuning these adaptations even further. Uphill running can be used to increase form by concentrating on a relaxed style. On the other hand, downhill running can teach relaxation and improve leg speed and stride. Here are some more benefits that hill running offers:

• Increases your aerobic capacity that enables you to use less oxygen at increasingly longer distances.
• Increases your stamina that enables you to run farther at a given pace.
• Helps develop power and muscle elasticity
• Improves stride frequency and length.
• Develops co-ordination.
• Develops control and stabilization as well as improves speed.
• Promotes strength endurance.
• Teaches you how to run relaxed on a flat surface as you are already training for the extreme (running on hills).

Types of Hill Running

Hill running can be of different types mainly:

• Short hills: A short hill is one which takes no more that 30 seconds to run up and has an inclination between 5 to 15 percent grade (In topography, the slope of a hill, mountain, road or anything else inclined, is more often referred to as its grade).
• Medium hills: A medium hill is one which takes between 30 to 90 seconds to run up. This length is good for runners because it combines the benefits of the short and long hills.
• Long hills: A long hill is one which takes from 90 seconds to three minutes to run up. On long hills, the runner will not use as much power per stride as the shorter hills.

Tips for Hill Running

Here are some tips to get you started with hill running:

Up hill

• Start with an easy 15 minute warmup on rolling hills.
• Taking "baby steps" will help you maintain a good cadence when your lungs are screaming for mercy.
• On long, steady hills, switching often between walking and running is tempting, but it makes you lose momentum and cadence. Pick one or the other and go with it.
• Posture is everything on the uphill. Leaning forward from the hips puts too much pressure on your back, an erect posture will provide better push-off and don’t forget to pump arms vigorously.
• Look ahead, not at your feet. This will allow you to pick the best line and free up your airway.
• Run with a slightly higher knee lift.

Down hill

• Jog slowly on each decent.
• Don’t over-stride, each landing will put extreme stress on your quadriceps.
• Lean forward not backward keeping your whole body perpendicular to the ground.
• If you need to control your speed, cut your stride length and increase your cadence.
• Like a hurdler, step over, not on rocks and other obstacles. Keep your body level and lift your legs.
• Pick as straight a line as possible down the hill. The more you move left and right, the more you stress your legs and increase the distance.

Efficient running technique can make an enormous difference in running economy on flat terrain, but optimal technique can play an even greater role on hills. Those just beginning hill workouts will likely find hills a struggle at first, but later long hills will become more of a friendly challenge than a mortal enemy. The more you run hills, the more you’ll find yourself adjusting to them automatically and your stride shifting to "hill mode" without any thought or effort.