The other night I was chatting on Twitter about how my training for the Army Ten Miler has lacked hill workouts, and how I need to step it up so the bridge doesn’t kick my a$$.
This Tweet from Runs_26_2 In Training got me thinking:
hills are tough, but while you’re running up keep thinking soon you will be running down!
It hit me that my usual treadmill interval program doesn’t challenge me in the way I need to be challenged to get ready for that bridge. The interval program cycles through 1-minute hills of varying incline–I don’t spend very long running up, and that running down comes all too soon.
I can do short hills. I can do short, steep hills. What I’m not used to is a long steady climb, like the 14th Street Bridge that comes at the very end of the Army Ten Miler. So, I decided to try a new treadmill workout–repeats with longer hill segments.
This is what I came up with:
Treadmill Hill Repeats
0-5 min: walking warm-up: 3.7 mph, 1.5 incline
5-10 min: running warm-up: 5.7 mph, 0.5 incline
10-15 min: running warm-up: 6.0 mph, 0.5 incline
Hill Repeats (x8)
2 min @ 6.3 mph, 0.5 incline
5 min @ 6.3 mph, 3.0 incline (repeats 1-2, 5, 7) or 3.5 incline (repeats 3-4, 6, 8)
55-57 min: running cool-down, 5.7 mph, 0.5 incline
57-60 min: walking cool-down, 3.7 mph, 1.5 incline
This was a tough workout. The 3.0 incline was challenging. The 3.5 incline was hard. The bridge will be harder, but I will be ready!
Has someone else ever inspired you to take your workout to the next level?
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yes!
and for me it's typically a comment NONfitness related which sparks my AH ha!! moment
Yes, you get to go down, but you still need to have good form going down, and it's easy to hurt yourself going down.. that's why I didn't respond to that tweet, I didn't want to get into a debate about it.
But, if you ever get a chance, read Kristin Armstrong's book Mile Markers, she has a few good chapters about hills and conquering them & making friends with them. it's good stuff!
You're right about the dangers of down hill! I had an over-training inury in my quads a few years ago from running too hard down hill when I started using a new running route. I went to specialists to no avail, and finally got better when I decided to take 2 weeks off running.
Once again, I am cardiologically exhausted after reading your workout. Somebody give me some waters.
Yes, I like hearing from others what has worked for them or tips on raining racing. I do love using the TM for hills because I can control incline, speed, length, etc. For more specific training but ai do find that running actually hills outside is so much different. I think hill training on the TM helps build good length strength in preparation but it doesn't substitute for the outdoor running on actual hilly terrain..
No, the treadmill isn't quite the same as hills. I do have a good hilly route in my neighborhood – I may try that one next week.
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