Jogging in hilly area

StuartW1991

Just wonder how this would work. Where I live there are lots of hills. So on a jog around the suburb I'll go up as many hills as I go down.
Obviously running up hill burns more calories were as coming down again burns fewer.
But does calorie burn even itself out? Or does coming down the hills again burn far fewer calories that by the end of my jog I haven't burnt as many calories that I think I have or that my calculator told me I have?

sagreenious

I think you're overthinking it. If you use a heart rate monitor you will get an accurate calorie burn. Possibly apps like endomondo (sp?) will work just as well too.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

Definitely over thinking. I love hills; they really build up your butt muscles. Just take it easier than you think coming down. If you don't hit it right, you can injure yourself.

StuartW1991

I actually agree that I am over-thinking it. But just as a matter of interest :P

Either way I have to come back down to get home so I may as well jog it.

cwolfman13

running hill is awesome regardless of the burn...so is cycling.

sagreenious

Oh! Well have fun. I'm crap at going uphill.

wolfgate

The answer is you'll burn more running hilly routes than flat. For the purposes of trying to track calories in a weight control program, unless you're into measuring gnat's butts, it's not significant for almost every course you'll be running. Understand why you're curious though!

RGv2

It depends on how you run the downhill. It can actually be harder holding yourself back during the downhill vs. going with it and running hard down it.