I am running a half marathon in less than three weeks. It is a very hilly course. There is about 500 feet of climb over just under 2 miles. What’s the best way to tackle this? I am running it for a time, not just to finish. For example, target heart rate versus speed? Do you recommend high cadence and short choppy strides versus bounding strides?
I’m no running expert but I have always been told short strides going up and long strides going down.
I would try to maintain about the same cadence as the flat parts. This probably means shortening your stride. It might make a difference where the climb is located: beginning, middle, end of the race. If it is early in the race I would not burn too many matches trying to match your overall goal pace. Hills slow you down, deal with it.
Same cadence, shorter strides
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Turn off your brain. Let your body do what feels best.
I try not to attack the hill - it’s pretty instinctive to do so.
A 10km race I do every year has a very steep 500m hill in it just before the 5km mark.
I just ease into the hill.
People around me usually gain 3-5m on me during the first 100m, I catch them over the next 100m and gain 10-15m over the next 300m.
If you want to sum it up: First hold back the effort - then hold that effort.
I am running a half marathon in less than three weeks. It is a very hilly course. There is about 500 feet of climb over just under 2 miles. What’s the best way to tackle this? I am running it for a time, not just to finish. For example, target heart rate versus speed? Do you recommend high cadence and short choppy strides versus bounding strides?
As others have said, shorten your stride but try to maintain cadence. Depending on the race distance, in this case a 13.1 I’ll also try to hold my HR% down to as close to my target % as possible and limit the huge spikes. I’d rather save that energy for the final kick.
If you really racing it, hills, especially downhills, can be a great opportunity depending on where they are located to make a move on your competition. It can also crush you. But it’s easier to make a move “on your terms and pace” than react to someone else’s surge.
That’s a fair amount of climbing over just 2 miles. I’d try and maintain a steady RPE and not let you HR drift more than 5bpm going up, and don’t let it drop more than 5-10 going down. I find learning to run efficiently downhill is a harder skill than going uphill. You really have to pick up your cadence while let yourself float a little at the same time. On steep downhills, just relax and let it rip! It’s free speed but man it can hurt late in a race.
Remember Kienle’s quote for Kona “If it’s hurting me, it’s killing them”.
Again, I’d focus on learning how to run downhill efficiently and without getting injured, even more than uphill. Uphill is just maintain cadence and managing you effort to flatten the course… similar to cycling in a TT.
The optimal method for running hills depends entirely on the individual; their strength, muscle balance, and endurance. The only practical advice at this point is for you to go out and test run hills that are comparable to the race course. Try different cadences and stride lengths while seeking to minimize spikes in heart rate, breathing, or general RPE. In the future, find out what method serves you best and work it into your training.
You will work harder going uphill, and easier going downhill, but neither level of effort should be drastically different from your steady, target effort.
While that is quite a hill, it shouldn’t be anything that will change your stride…assuming it is a constant grade.
Shoot for even effort, not even pacing for the whole race. Do you get that 500 feet back? If so, practice downhills. You have the potential for making up a lot more time coming down than you could by nailing the uphill. (I think running uphill feels more natural than downhill, so most people are more efficient going up than down. I don’t not intend that someone could go faster on a hilly loop course than a flat.)
It really depends on where it is in the race. Personally, if I have a race I know that is going to have a few difficult hills I try to replicate that on a treadmill (or if you can find an actual hill with close to the same net gain). Most races will have an elevation chart and will give you an overall idea of the length and the incline. If the hills are on mile 7, run 7 miles first on a mixed flat/hill course on the treadmill then set the treadmill to your anticipated grade and run two miles. Do this a few times so you know what to expect come race day. And, of course, listen to your body.
If the hills are at the end of the course, I wouldn’t worry too much about trying to simulate the hill after 10 miles on the treadmill. Just run up it with what you have left. Make sure you do some hill training in general either way.
Strava’s GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace) really helps me gauge my output. More here: http://engineering.strava.com/improving-grade-adjusted-pace/
It helped me really focus on becoming a better downhill runner - even more helpful because I do a lot of trail runs. It’s amazing to see how many people charge a hill to just let off the gas and coast down it. By giving up a few meters on the way up the hill, you can blow by those same people and gap them on the descent.
I agree with NordicSkier. Just get up the hill. Don’t think about it.