Running question

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fteale
fteale Posts: 5,311 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been running 8 months, and have built up pretty good stamina, and distance, but I HATE hills. The routes I do are all very hilly, everything is round here, but I get to a point I just can't do them, and pack up and walk on the steep bits. My flat speed is about 4.4 mins per km, but my fastest 10k time is 55 mins as I just have to walk up the steepest hills.

How do I improve my hill stamina? I get doing more of them, and pushing myself more, but I already do those things, and they aren't helping! My legs hate hills!

Replies

  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
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    your legs don't hate hills - your mind does because it's more of a mental challenge than a physical one.

    when I used to run and every time I came to a hill, I consciously chose to allow the hill to represent some great challenge in my life and told myself that if I could climb that hill I could overcome whatever the challenge was I chose. In doing this, not only did I condition my mind for actual hills, I conditioned my mind for real life challenges.
  • kimmey9
    kimmey9 Posts: 17
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    Mt 1st 5k was all hills I didnt know this. I just walk up them. Just keep at it. Do one hill then next week work on the next hill. Also you have to get it out of your mind you cant do it. I think running is all mental lol
  • Dreamerlove
    Dreamerlove Posts: 441 Member
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    run up backwards
  • alison2429
    alison2429 Posts: 236 Member
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    Hi
    I have this mental problem with hills. I think you just need to practice this.

    Only piece of advice I can give is take very small steps and have a picture in your mind of how it will feel when you get to the top / half way / to the next telegraph pole etc etc.

    I have been working on this - happy to be your friend if you think it will help you. Chuck me a request.

    Alison

    x
  • menjivas
    menjivas Posts: 124 Member
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    It seems it's a mental thing. I would suggest you just keep running them. I just ran a 10K where I was dreading the hills, so I trained on hills for my shorter runs. The result was my fastest 10K ever and no problem with the hills.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,311 Member
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    It's also all off road round here, some of the hills are just horrendous. One in particular, I can hardly walk up, let alone run!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,311 Member
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    It seems it's a mental thing. I would suggest you just keep running them. I just ran a 10K where I was dreading the hills, so I trained on hills for my shorter runs. The result was my fastest 10K ever and no problem with the hills.

    I don't really do shorter runs often. 10k is my basic distance. Did you find it helped doing shorter runs for training?
  • menjivas
    menjivas Posts: 124 Member
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    Yes, it does. If you run a hilly 5K, you'll feel better and your will get use to the hills.

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