Mini-Series: Hill Form

            Hill form is equally important to those who live in a high elevated area and for this training plan, as you will be required to do hill repeats. The form is slightly like the everyday form except some minor differences; such as you need to lean into the hill, avoid the heel strike running (try to use your toes to push off), shortened stride, and keep your head down. 

To begin with the differences, let’s both focus on leaning into the hill and keeping your head down. Hills are mind games; the leaning forward into the hill will give you the drive to go uphill. Looking down, keeps you focused on the run, not how big the hill is or how steep, and etc. It is recommended if you like wearing hats or visors running, to lower the rim when going uphill, it will prevent you from fulling looking up as you are inevitably going to do at least once if not more when going up. 

Next we will examine the avoiding heel striking up hill and the shortened stride. Using the toe strike going uphill will help you push off of the hill and move. In addition the shortened stride will help you increase your speed. Going uphill tends to take more work running, therefore is harder and speed can decrease, but the shortened stride will help minimize the decrease in speed.

(Speedwork for Every Runner 2014)