Hill Repeats

Learn to run when feeling the pain: then push harder. William Sigei


Hill repeats make you stronger, faster, more explosive and more likely to puke, Noah


Tuesdays are my new speed work days.  I am either going to be running on the track, racing 5k's or doing hill repeats.  This week was hill repeats.


This is the "Low Country" so there are not a lot of hills around, but there is the Cooper River Bridge.  My son and I warmed up with a slow half mile run from my car to the foot of the bridge where we met Coach Greg.  The work out is fairly simple.  Run ninety seconds (97% max effort) up a steep incline, walk/jog back down for a full recovery: 8-10 x 90 seconds (full recovery)


I started crazy fast and started to slow after about forty seconds.  I made a mental note of how far I made it at the end of ninety seconds and started walking back down.  


I love sprints, but my body has this initial reaction of "Oh crap! What's the hell is going on? I better slow down or I am going to #@#& die!!!". - my body has a nasty mouth...


My second attempt was close to my first one, but a little short.  After getting my body calmed down enough that the thought of death was gone, I could tell I was getting faster on the next few repeats.  That's the trick.  If you can get yourself mentally pumped up and over the death thing you can crush the workout.


After doing eight repeats, Coach Greg ran up to the top with my son to wait for me on my last one - that's just mean.  How could I slow down when my son was waiting for me at the end?  I ran that last repeat the hardest of all and almost lost it at the end (true sign of a good workout!).


My legs were toast for the rest of the night, but surprisingly they felt great the next day and I ended up running eight miles (which included the Bridge) that next afternoon...





1 comment:

  1. Hills are the best work out! Obviously, I run alot of hills living here in the mountains and I am a big believer in the strength you develop running hills. I love the tough, short stepping ascents and especially love the reward of racing down the descents. A hill workout will develop your calves and quads in ways that flat runs can't. Do both to reap the rewards, brother!

    ReplyDelete

Copyright © 2012 Moore On Running.