Runners

JULY 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 067WORDS: CINDY KUZMA. PHOTOGRAPH: GETTYTRAININGFor speed on the roadThe bulk of Ferley’s research isfocused on heading up hills asfast as possible in 30-secondbouts. These speedy climbs worksimilarly to plyometric moves,he says. They build explosivestrength and allow muscles tofire more quickly and forcefullyon any type of terrain.``````The workout30-second hillsprints at a 5-10per cent incline.Do It Warm upwith 1.5 miles ofeasy running, thendo dynamic drillslike high knees,skips and lungesbefore addingincline. Take each``````30-sec hill rep ata nearly all-outspeed (you shouldbe wonderingif you can makeit at the 25-secmark). Jog for2-3 minutes inbetween. Startwith 5-8 repsand work yourway up to 12-14.``````For long trail runsThough not quite as effectiveas the shorter, faster inclines inFerley’s studies, longer hill repeatsstill boosted many key fitnessfactors, such as runners’ pointof exhaustion. And soldieringthrough a lengthier ascent betterprepares you mentally for moretechnical courses.``````The workoutThree-min hillintervals at a 10per cent incline.Do It After awarm-up anddrills (see left),take these longerrepeats at a paceslightly slowerthan all-out (inFerley’s testing,``````it worked outto about 70 percent of the speedrunners couldsustain for 2 mins).Jog or walk 3 minsto rest – or longerif your heart is stillpounding – thenrepeat. Start with2-3 reps and workup to 6.``````For better biomechanicsEven shorter uphill charges canhelp you practise better formwithout wearing you down,says Jim Walker, sports sciencedirector at TOSH (The OrthopedicSpecialty Hospital) in Salt LakeCity, Utah, US. Inclines force youto drive your knees high and landwith your foot underneath you.``````The workout10-15-sec hill repsat a 5-15 per centincline.Do It At the endof an easy 3-milerun, catch yourbreath beforegoing uphill. Don’tworry about pace;instead, focus onform – run tall,``````swing your armsfrom hip to chinand engage yourglutes. Walk backdown to recover,then go again.Start with 5 or 6reps and work upto as many as 20- the last shouldfeel just as springyas the first.To crush a hilly courseStrength and efficiency help, butracing well on rolling hills alsorequires discipline and smartpacing, says Reichmann (a BostonMarathon finisher). Practise bydoing long runs on a routemimicking the course, or witha session that pushes the paceafter a series of climbs.``````The workout60-sec hill reps ata 4-5 per centincline, thenrace-pace miles.Do It Warm up for2-3 easy miles,then do 6-8 hillrepeats at aneffort of 7 out of10. Jog downhill torecover. Run easyfor 2-3 minutes(advanced runnerscan skip this), thenrun 1-3 miles atgoal race pacebefore a 1-milecool-down. Thistrains both fast-and slow-twitchmuscle fibres tohit goal race pace,says Reichmann.``````ON THE RISEUse hill sessions tohit new heights``````Charging up slopes also asksmore of your muscles and nervesthan sprinting on level ground,which speeds up the connectionsbetween mind and body, makingyou more explosive. This abilityto summon strength fast boostshow efficiently your hardworkingmuscles use oxygen to power youforward, a key factor for success.Ferley has spent the past fiveyears tinkering with duration, gradeand pace in the hope of finding theoptimal hill-training formula. Whilehe says he’s not quite finished, youcan use what he has discovered –along with tips from top coaches- to take your running to newheights. Here’s how.