With Coach Kelvin, offering Online Running Coaching for We Run and the We Run Virtual Running Club, and 1:1 Running Coach for Leeds and surrounding areas.
Introduction
In this video, I’m going to talk about uphill running versus downhill running intensity, and why we don’t want to push as hard on the downs as we do on the ups.
Why Uphill Running is Less Risky
This is more of a guide rather than a golden rule, but we are less likely to injure ourselves to a certain degree when running uphill. This is because we are limited in how hard we can push off by the gradient.
On downhills, however, we can put a lot of load through the quads, particularly while the muscle is contracting eccentrically – meaning it’s lengthening whilst under load. That can cause a lot of muscle damage.
Training on Hilly Terrain
If you live somewhere hilly, run on trails, or are training for a hilly race, this is worth keeping in mind – especially if you have an interval session where we’re aiming for a certain intensity.
It is true that we want to include bouts of harder downhill running, but these should be much less frequent than uphill efforts.
A Practical Example
If you have a workout of, say, four times one mile at threshold pace, you might want to find hilly terrain that gives you that amount of distance on the uphills. Then, run the hilly route, push to the required intensity on the ups, and use the downs to recover.
That doesn’t mean going super easy on the downs, but we shouldn’t be trying to hit the same heart rates in training as we might in a race.
Racing vs Training Effort
In a hilly race, my heart rate will remain relatively similar throughout, even with steep ups and downs. But when I’m training, my heart rate is much lower on the downs, and my pace is slower, so I don’t beat my quads up too much.
Summary of Key Points
While training:
- Do most of your intensity on the uphill.
- Use the downhills to run with a fast and fluid feel, but without pushing hard.
- Once every two to three weeks, include a downhill-specific session if training for a very hilly event.
I hope that makes sense. If you’ve got any questions, please pop them in the comments below. Happy running!
