Running downhill??

sheri02r
sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I have a half marathon trail run coming up that includes a few really steep hills. What's the proper technique for those downhill runs? I always feel like I'm jarring my knees and usually end up slowing down because I'm afraid I'm going to fall on my face! Any advice?

Replies

  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    The first thing is to practice. Do some 200m downhill repeats at goal race pace, once every week or two. Build up to 400m and then to 800m (assuming you have time before the race). Downhill running will shred your quads if you aren't prepared for it.

    When, running downhill, I concentrate on a higher heel lift in the back. This seems to keep my feet off the ground longer so that I land under my torso, not out in front. This keeps me from braking and also lessens the impact.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
    The first thing is to practice. Do some 200m downhill repeats at goal race pace, once every week or two. Build up to 400m and then to 800m (assuming you have time before the race). Downhill running will shred your quads if you aren't prepared for it.

    When, running downhill, I concentrate on a higher heel lift in the back. This seems to keep my feet off the ground longer so that I land under my torso, not out in front. This keeps me from braking and also lessens the impact.

    Thanks CarsonRuns! So you are saying I should be landing more toward my toes than on my heel when running downhill right?
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    The first thing is to practice. Do some 200m downhill repeats at goal race pace, once every week or two. Build up to 400m and then to 800m (assuming you have time before the race). Downhill running will shred your quads if you aren't prepared for it.

    When, running downhill, I concentrate on a higher heel lift in the back. This seems to keep my feet off the ground longer so that I land under my torso, not out in front. This keeps me from braking and also lessens the impact.

    Thanks CarsonRuns! So you are saying I should be landing more toward my toes than on my heel when running downhill right?

    Ideally your landing should always be mid-foot, not on the heel. So, the goal is to land the same way, regardless of whether you are on a level surface, uphill or downhill.
  • jturnerx
    jturnerx Posts: 325 Member
    Practice is key and that also helps in conditioning your quads. I also try and keep my stride short and quick. When people talk about blowing their quads on a hilly course it's not the uphills that did it to them, it's the downhills.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
    The first thing is to practice. Do some 200m downhill repeats at goal race pace, once every week or two. Build up to 400m and then to 800m (assuming you have time before the race). Downhill running will shred your quads if you aren't prepared for it.

    When, running downhill, I concentrate on a higher heel lift in the back. This seems to keep my feet off the ground longer so that I land under my torso, not out in front. This keeps me from braking and also lessens the impact.

    Thanks CarsonRuns! So you are saying I should be landing more toward my toes than on my heel when running downhill right?

    Ideally your landing should always be mid-foot, not on the heel. So, the goal is to land the same way, regardless of whether you are on a level surface, uphill or downhill.

    That really is my challenge; keeping my stride the same! I always feel a little panicky running down steep hills because I feel like I'm moving forward faster than my legs can keep up! Thanks again for your tips. I will keep them in mind during my next run.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
    Practice is key and that also helps in conditioning your quads. I also try and keep my stride short and quick. When people talk about blowing their quads on a hilly course it's not the uphills that did it to them, it's the downhills.

    You're right, it's not running uphill that bothers me (I mean I still find it challenging), but it's downhill that I feel less in 'control'.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    The first thing is to practice. Do some 200m downhill repeats at goal race pace, once every week or two. Build up to 400m and then to 800m (assuming you have time before the race). Downhill running will shred your quads if you aren't prepared for it.

    When, running downhill, I concentrate on a higher heel lift in the back. This seems to keep my feet off the ground longer so that I land under my torso, not out in front. This keeps me from braking and also lessens the impact.

    ^This. Great advice.

    Sometimes if it's a really short and steep downhill, I'll run up the hill and walk the downhill (pretty much the opposite of what everyone around me is doing!). If it's a short downhill, it doesn't affect your overall time much in a half.

    Other than the joint pounding, downhills can be rough on your muscles too- produce wicked DOMS if you're not used to them. Its one of the few natural exercises where you have eccentric muscle contractions (where the muscle is contracting and lengthening at the same time), can cause tears. (boo hoo this hurts tears and tearing of the muscle, lol.)
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    BUMP....great advice on here and I can use it!!!! Thanks!
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    Good information for the future. I'll be storing this for the day it will be useful, right now my downhill method is more of the STOP, DROP, and ROLL philosophy.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member

    Sometimes if it's a really short and steep downhill, I'll run up the hill and walk the downhill (pretty much the opposite of what everyone around me is doing!). If it's a short downhill, it doesn't affect your overall time much in a half.

    One hill is about a 650ft elevation gain within 1/2 a mile and then it drops right away. I might consider walking that. But then there's a bigger hill that starts at about mile 7 and doesn't hit its peak until mile 9 and then takes another mile to drop back down. I don't think I'll be able to only walk that.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
    Good information for the future. I'll be storing this for the day it will be useful, right now my downhill method is more of the STOP, DROP, and ROLL philosophy.

    :laugh: :laugh:
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member

    One hill is about a 650ft elevation gain within 1/2 a mile...

    Are you sure? That is ridiculously steep. Like, drop your car into low 1 steep. Like, climb up on your hands and knees steep.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member

    One hill is about a 650ft elevation gain within 1/2 a mile...

    Are you sure? That is ridiculously steep. Like, drop your car into low 1 steep. Like, climb up on your hands and knees steep.

    I can send you the link to the trail map if you have time to look. I think I'm reading the map right.

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