There's Gold in them there HILLS!!

Chandi Schwab
I will be the first to admit that up until now I have avoided hills at all cost when possible. Sure I would tackle little hills here or there, and when we went to visit my in-laws in AZ it was easier to breath so the hills were more bareable, I just have always been so focused on speed I didn't want hills to slow me down. Well, I knew this in the back of my head but boy have I had the wrong attitude about it. Lately I have over heard people taliking about the benefits of running hills. Especially after running the marathon I know it would have helped me a ton if I would have applied it more to my training. This is not only a helpful tip for runers but anyone! Running or walking hills is so beneficial. Don't be shy..find a hill near you and tackle it!Push yourself hard, it is so fulfilling! Here is why...

You'll build strength
Running inclines, either on a hill outdoors or on a treadmill, is a form of resistance training that builds up the muscles in your calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Hill running strengthens those areas more than running on flat ground. You'll also strengthen your hip flexors and Achilles tendons.

You'll get faster
The muscles you'll use to run up hills are the same ones used for sprinting, so the strength you build will improve your speed.

You won't get bored
If you're used to running on mostly flat courses, adding hills to your routines can help prevent boredom.

You'll reduce your risk of injuries
As you strengthen your leg muscles through hill running, you considerably reduce the risk of suffering from running-related injuries.

You'll strengthen your upper body.
Uphill running forces you to drive your arms harder than you do when running on flat ground, so you'll improve your upper body strength.

You'll build confidence
The more you run hills, the less intimidating they'll seem when you encounter them on a race course. Your improved strength and technique on the hills will definitely give you a confidence boost when you're racing.