TO HILL AND BACK
Bolster your bumpy running sessions to maximise your hill-training benefits
WORDS: ELIZABETH HUFTON
You can’t avoid it forever: that box on your training plan that says “HILLS”. Of all the commonly prescribed running sessions, hill training is perhaps the most mysterious, because hills – by their nature – are so varied. One woman’s steep hill is another woman’s speed bump. As a re
As a result, it’s easy to slip into the habit of using one hill and doing the same number of reps at the same effort every week. But if you do that, you won’t be gaining the maximum benefit from the workout. “The research shows that hill training is beneficial over all distances, regardless of what race somebody is working towards,” says coach Emily Griffiths (follow her on Twitter @EmpoweringFitn1) “When we tire in an event, we can call upon the pain of the hills suffered in training to get through the last mile or two!”
Here’s how to make sure you’re making the most of those ups and downs.