Tackle those HILLS!

Chandi Schwab

I will quickly admit that running hills is a very hard thing for me. I have to have a special motivation to work them into my training. This is not only a helpful tip for runners... 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.

You can find hills in your area and make it a goal to be able to run up the largest one, or you can stick to the treadmill indoors. You can set most treadmills to the hills setting and let the machine do the work for you. Today I set the treadmill at a level 10 hills and just set my speed quite a bit slower so it would be bearable. Good Luck!