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Why are we doing this?      I look silly!     Does this really help my running?

Why do hill sessions?

Improve form.  Improve aerobic fitness.  Improve and strengthen the upper leg.  Improve core strength.  Stretch and lengthen your stride. Hill sessions can continue through the course of an entire training season. 

When and how often do I run drills?

Distance runners should practice drills one to two times a week.  Sprinters will do drills at almost every training session.  The best time to run drills is just after an easy day and before a hard speed session.  The drills are a warm-up to the main workout.  Drills should not be run too hard.  The whole point of doing drills is wasted if you sacrifice speed over efficiency of form.  You should feel refreshed and limber after doing drills. 

Why do we do drills?

Drills help to improve running technique, as well as strengthen and stretch the muscles.  Better technique transfers to a more efficient and faster runner.   Drills help strengthen specific muscle groups needed for strong running.

What is speed?

Speed = stride length X stride frequency

Running Drills

Strides

Strides are run controlled.  Start out slow and build the acceleration so that you are floating through to the end of the drill.  Good arm action, high knees and controlled stride length (don’t over-stride).  Strides are usually 50 - 100 metres in length.  Strides can be incorporated into many of your weekly training sessions.

Benefit:

• Improve form
• Improve leg speed
• Back-wards running
• Same motion and rhythm used when striding forward.  Arms don't cross your chest.

Benefit:

• Strengthen hamstrings and gluts
• Improve leg speed
• Maintain balance

Butt Kicks

Butt kicks should be performed quickly.  Your heal most likely will kick your butt.   Don’t over-do it.  If you are new to this drill the motion of kicking the leg back even just a little should be sufficient to start with.  Knee should be pointing down to the ground and not out in front of you.

Benefit:

• Increase leg turn-over
• Strengthen hamstring

March

  It’s easy to do, but so beneficial to running form. I always tell runners to align one of their feet with a line on the track.  March with a high step, knee up, landing with the ball of the foot, then quickly bringing the foot back up.  Body is tall.  Swing arms in rhythm with your feet.  Keep your foot landing on the track line. Repeat with your other foot on the track line.

Benefit:

• Improve running posture.
• Better forward action.

Leg Swings 

1. Lateral Leg Swing    Stand arm's length from a wall and place both hands on the wall for support. Cross your right foot in front of your body then swing it straight out to the side. Swing the leg from side to side in a continuous motion. Switch legs and repeat.
2. Front to Back Swing  Stand with your left hand on a wall, chair, or tree for support. Your right arm relaxed. Lift your right leg in front of your body then swing it back behind you keeping the knee slightly bent. Swing the leg forward and back in a continuous motion. Switch sides and repeat.
3. Knee to Chest Swing   Stand arm's length from a wall placing both hands on the wall for support. Bring your right knee toward your chest then swing and extend straight behind you. Return to start and continue swinging the leg forward and back in a continuous movement. Switch legs and repeat.
4. Figure Eight   Stand arms length from wall placing both hands on wall for support. Your right leg swings to the right and moves up and over to the left crossing in front of the left leg (tie a bow).  Repeat 10 to 15 times then reverse the direction of the right leg.  Repeat on left leg

Benefit of leg swings:

• Stronger thighs and buttocks
• Strengthen hamstrings
• Lengthen stride

Grape Vine

Good posture.  Arms are held straight out to the side.   Head stays still.  Left leg move to the left, right leg crosses over left.  Left leg moves to the left, right leg move behind left leg.  Repeat starting with left leg.

Benefit:

• Lateral strength in glut's, hip flexor, tensor, and abductor.
• Improves balance.
• Quicken leg turn-over  

Pace Chart

10k

HILL RUNNING

* Hills are a very effective way to build both speed and strength.  * The repetitions and the grade of the hill changes according to the results required from the workout.

* HILL SPRINGING (BOUNDING)    Hill springing is great for improving form.  Run up the hill using a bouncing action with a slow forward motion. Push hard off the toes to lift your center of gravity. Come down on the toes of the other foot. Bound with high knees, straight back leg and strong arm drive.

* SHORT HILLS   Gravel, grass and other off road surfaces are best for doing a short hill workout. Steep enough to challenge you (10-15% grade). Bring your knees up, back leg drives hard. Do not go too fast. Make your legs feel the workload. Good posture, rhythm, and shorten stride. Pick up the pace slightly as you near the top.  Short hills should be steep enough that the only way to get up the hill effectively is on your toes. 

* LONG HILLS   Find a hill of moderate steepness (5-8% grade). Try and maintain the same effort on each hill repeat. Run short quick strides.  Keep a consistent rhythm from the start of the hill to the top, with a slight increase in leg turnover as you crest the hill. Do only what you can manage and keep your recovery at an easy pace (no racing down the hill!) Another alternative for a long hill repeat session would be a continuous hilly run with 5 -10 hills spaced a couple of minutes apart.

 * Down Hills The pounding from down hills can cause injury if run incorrectly. A down hill session should only happen when you are totally confident you have the skill and technique mastered. Practice running down hill on your everyday runs before you attempt continuous down hill repeats. Lean forward and let gravity take you down. Lengthen your stride and have a higher knee lift as the downgrade increases. Land on the front of your foot, and not your heals.

For extreme downhill running on trails use a wipe-on, wipe-off action with your hands.  Keep your hands at waist level; your feet follow what your hands are doing.  This technique lowers your centre on gravity, keeping you on your feet and moving you quicker down the hill.

Listen to your body! If you are working hard and run six good hills instead of the eight you had planned, don’t think you have whipped out! Run how you feel at each training session.