It's Just a Hill...Get Over It!

The half marathon I'm training my Sole2Soul Sisters group for is very hilly. We've been training on some hills but not as many as I would have liked. This morning we had a taper run of 5 miles and we ran it on the hillier part of the race course (that's the great part about a race being local...you can run and train on the course)! We all know as runners that hills are good for you. My running friend Laura always says, "Hills are good for you...hills are your friend!" That's true because as a runner hills help you gain strength and strength will far outweigh speed in the end.

It's hard to tell in this picture but this hill is a killer. And it's at the very beginning of the half marathon course. 

So the question is...how do you get over that hill? Here are MY tips for running hills (note I am not a professional...these are just things that work for me so I'm sharing with you)!

1. When going up...slow down! Slowing down won't help you conquer the hill faster but it will help you save some of your endurance.
2. When going up...lean forward a slight bit but keep your eyes and head up and focused. If you are bent over too much your lungs are being squished and can't function as well. And you need all the air you can get on a hill!
3. When going up...use your arms! If you're pumping your arms it is only natural for your legs to follow.
4. Be prepared mentally. Know that the hill WILL end! Tell yourself that YOU CAN DO IT! :-)
5. If you need to...Walk! Yes....I said walk! Sometimes you can walk faster than you can run on a hill especially if it is a steep hill.
6. When going down a hill...slow down! Many runners let the momentum of coming down the hill speed them up. I always slow down to conserve that energy. Plus coming down is worse on your knees...the pounding from going down too fast jars your body way more than when you are running on a flat terrain.

Here I am after conquering those hills this morning!!! STRONG!!! (Yeah and don't you just love how the front of my skirt is so sweaty and looks like I peed on myself lol!)

QOTD: When you're running what helps you get over that hill?