Rubbish when running hills

meerkat70
meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Are there techniques I should be applying to hill running that I'm just missing?

I live in a rolly bit of countryside, and I've never been one to shy away from running up and down them. I'm just starting doing some hill repeats. The challenge I have is that my stride length seems to shorten till I'm more or less shuffling up the hill, and I feel like I swing from side to side as I go. I reckon I could walk them faster than I'm running them.

Are there specific things I can do to get up the things faster, and to work against the shortening stride?

Replies

  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Keeping a short stride is correct, just aim for a slightly faster turnaround. Change your arm swing to match, shorter and lower than normal, and driving forward rather than side-to-side to prevent that swing. You're aiming for the same total overall effort as you were keeping on the flat. Try to keep fairly upright or lean forward just a little from the hip. Hope that helps :flowerforyou:
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    So the zombie shuffle I'm doing is ok? it *feels* so weird. And so, so slow...
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    So the zombie shuffle I'm doing is ok? it *feels* so weird. And so, so slow...
    Well, more like the 28 Days Later zombies, just gradually pick up the pace of those tiny strides!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Shorter quicker strides is right. On a regular run it is pretty normal for the pace to slow some going uphill. However, on the hill repeats the goal is to push the pace pretty hard to gain strength in the legs. They should feel very hard and it's ok to walk back down to recover if you need to. The very hard feel is up in the anaerobic zone. If they are short repeats of 10 or 12 seconds they should be an all out sprint. If they are longer repeats of up to around 1/4 mile they should be somewhere around your 5k pace. If you get to the top of the hill feeling like you want to keep running then that repeat was too slow.

    The leg strength you gain from these will help you keep a better pace on the hills during normal runs.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Are there techniques I should be applying to hill running that I'm just missing?

    I live in a rolly bit of countryside, and I've never been one to shy away from running up and down them. I'm just starting doing some hill repeats. The challenge I have is that my stride length seems to shorten till I'm more or less shuffling up the hill, and I feel like I swing from side to side as I go. I reckon I could walk them faster than I'm running them.

    Are there specific things I can do to get up the things faster, and to work against the shortening stride?

    Hi Meerkat, the shortened stride is happening because it is natural to do it that way. If you insisted on running up that hill with a long stride, it would take much more energy and put much more stress on your legs, in particular your hamstrings and your calfs would not thank you either lol.

    Don't worry about the short stride, but if you start to flake, move your arms harder and faster because as fast and hard as you move your arms, you legs have absolutely no choice, they HAVE to follow and that is the way you will get up the hills quicker.

    BTW don't try to climb too steep hills often, it can irritate your achilles, sometimes inclines that are longer but less steep will be more beneficial.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I've used the ChiRunning technique from the beginning of my running. Some of their form suggestions are Ankles up, Knees down. Working on Cadence to 88-90 spm, to shorter the stride. Run zig zags on hills to make it not seem so steep (obviously not if using for hill intervals). Mid-Foot Strike. And use your arms, 80% of my hill running is focusing on my arms more than my legs, I don't notice my stride as I push with my upper body. I also focus on certain points
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Short stride, fast turnover http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-264-12863-0,00.html

    I hate hills, that's probably one of the reasons I'm so slow.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    Thanks!!! I thought it must just be me; I will try the faster arm movement tomorrow morning when I go out again. Oddly enough I just set a personal best 1 mile time with a rather steep 1/4 mile hill in it - I run up this hill almost every time I go out....LOL.
  • tappae
    tappae Posts: 568 Member
    I try to use a lot of the Chi running suggestions, too. Shorter stride, more arm movement. The goal, during a regular run, is to keep your perceived effort level the same going up the hill as it was on the flat.

    Of course, with hill repeats you're going to want to work harder.
  • Destanie_Robyn
    Destanie_Robyn Posts: 304 Member
    My CC coach always told us to "drive with the knees" You want to charge up the hill in a forward movement, short strides and pump the arms (opposite arm with leg) to propel your body up the hill
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Thanks so much for all this really helpful information.
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
    Besides the shorter strides, leaning forward slightly seems to help a bit.
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    Besides the shorter strides, leaning forward slightly seems to help a bit.

    you should keep a straight torso - look straight ahead and don't lean forward or backwards

    ETA - for uphill

    downhill the general consensus it to lean forward a wee bit.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    How steep are these hills?
  • Nads
    Nads Posts: 8 Member
    Boobs Out and Look up!
  • MorganLeighRN
    MorganLeighRN Posts: 411 Member
    Do short strides uphill but it helps me to get up on the balls of my feet. My mom is a marathon runner and she will do hill intervals-she runs up the hill as fast as she can and than walks down. She does this for 20 mins and increases the amount each week. By doing hill intervals once a week you will get better at running.
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
    I am not a runner any more, but I live in extremely hilly landscapes, so running up and down hills has been part of my life. :-) When you climb a steep incline, you can't afford to waste motion by being imprecise about how you put your feet down (particularly not if it's in the mountains and not on a road.)

    If you're swaying from side to side, check the angle of your feet. Some people push themselves from side to side rather than forwards, by keeping their toes pointing out rather than straight forwards. If you look at the most efficient runners, they put everything into forwards motion, not sideways.

    And I am deeply impressed that you're doing this at all. These days, I feel happy that I can walk up a hillside, much less run!
  • Melanie_RS
    Melanie_RS Posts: 417 Member
    It's definitely most fun to run your *kitten* up the hills and do smooth controlled movements going down - going downhill can be very hard on the knees, just make absolute sure you aren't pounding your legs down...be VERY controlled. as you get better at running hills, it's fun to really push it faster uphill.

    hills, my favorite, I hope you enjoy them too! you're doing great - most people shy away. Also, to learn an active recovery - bringing your heartrate down to mild levels while still exercising is helpful for hills on the downward side. :)

    good luck!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    How steep are these hills?

    They're about 1:9. I have gentler ones and one rather more hectic one on my more general routes, but I was thinking I'd use the 1:9 for hill repeats. (It's about 1/4 mile long)
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    1:9, so 577 feet over a mile or 144 feet over that 1/4 mile?

    If so, then it's no wonder you feel like you do on that climb. That's pretty steep for just a regular run hill. All the advice here is spot on about how to run it. If you are covering this hill on an easy run, it might be best to walk it. You'll get up faster and your heart rate will still be elevated when you get to the top. No shame in walking a steep incline. Trail runners do it all the time.

    Keep pounding those hills. I have hilly routes that I do my weekend runs on and it makes such a huge difference in performance on race day. Hills are speed work in disguise. :)
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
    Besides the shorter strides, leaning forward slightly seems to help a bit.

    you should keep a straight torso - look straight ahead and don't lean forward or backwards

    ETA - for uphill

    downhill the general consensus it to lean forward a wee bit.

    I should've been more specific in that I meant at the hips, not at the waist, so I'm not suggesting slouching towards the hill. But I'm not the only one who thinks leaning forward slightly helps:
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-264-12863-0,00.html
    http://www.popularfitness.com/articles/best-running-form.html

    But you should do whatever works for you.
  • tappae
    tappae Posts: 568 Member
    Besides the shorter strides, leaning forward slightly seems to help a bit.

    you should keep a straight torso - look straight ahead and don't lean forward or backwards

    ETA - for uphill

    downhill the general consensus it to lean forward a wee bit.

    I should've been more specific in that I meant at the hips, not at the waist, so I'm not suggesting slouching towards the hill. But I'm not the only one who thinks leaning forward slightly helps:
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-264-12863-0,00.html
    http://www.popularfitness.com/articles/best-running-form.html

    But you should do whatever works for you.

    The Chi Running technique involves leaning at the ankles, which is a little tricky and should be practiced by itself before added to the running. It may be the same thing that you mean by leaning at the hips. It requires tilting the pelvis back a little by contracting the lower abs slightly. This way, gravity can assist your forward momentum while you still keep your body straight. Definitely don't lean at the waist.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Looking at photos from my HM over the weekend I realised my posture is generally very hunched. I thought i was quite upright running - but actually my shoulders are very rounded and my back quite curled. I'll be working on that over the next few weeks, and will try to pay more attention to the postural issues etc that you're all flagging up in this thread.

    Thank you again for this help. i do really appreciate it.
  • MikeInAZ
    MikeInAZ Posts: 483 Member
    When it's steep, go high knees, land on the balls of your feet. If you land flat footed you can injure your Achilles and tendons
  • jcmartin0313
    jcmartin0313 Posts: 574 Member
    I truly thought this was going to be a post about runners's trot....some people actually think that is a normal part of running.

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