how do you know hill training is helping

6 watchers
um
um
Feb 2020
1:42pm, 4 Feb 2020
1,691 posts
  •  
  • 0
um
Psycho1 - welcome.
I'd question 'serious runner' advice - especially if they're under 60. I've turned into a 'run for fun' runner - stopped giving each run (not for me a training session) a target, other than to 'enjoy it' and 'don't break anything, be able to do it again tomorrow, if I wanted to'.
My overall goal is to enjoy running for as long as possible - and I know I get competitive if I think about half marathons or such like.

I still do hills, but mainly long ones (half to a mile and a half steady climbs) and mainly measure progress by time and recovery at the top. I still do fast bits to catch others up. But I do it for fun, not because the chart says I have to do x miles in x minutes at x heartrate today.

And this site helpfully gives out messages as I log runs (again, not training) like 'slowest of 5 attempts at this route' or 'fastest of 7 attempts' - so there's some gentle encouragement for effort & improvement.

But depends on your goal and your body how seriously & competitive you want to take it.
Dvorak
Dvorak
Feb 2020
11:33am, 5 Feb 2020
18,872 posts
  •  
  • 0
Dvorak
I've been doing a bit of hill training as I have a hilly race which I've not done before coming up. My aim is to get round in an acceptable time without falling apart. In eleven days I'll find out quite definitively if hill training has worked or not ;-)

What I have specifically done is run repeatedly up and down a reasonably steep hill after parkrun, past the point of "don't know if I can squeeze out another one" to "right, you did, now stop". I'm trying to take each rep consistently, within and between, with the load on each being that the last few steps before topping out and turning round are pretty tough. I'm also focussing on steady controlled descents, as the mashed quads I've had after other races have lasted considerably longer than the merely tired legs.

(I certainly hope I'll find they worked, because the sessions, though not long, are bloody hard!)
psycho1
psycho1
Feb 2020
3:09pm, 8 Feb 2020
3 posts
  •  
  • 0
psycho1
thanks to um and Dvorak...

both of you say sensible things...

in defence of the 'serious runner'...i think he was simply trying to help...as i am aware that i cant train as much any more...(BUT of course dont really want to give up on having a WAVA i feel okay about)...but i guess i have to be realistic and be happy that after 3 years of not really being able to run at least im back out there...

im trying to think positive this year....eg smile towards the end of the run/hills etc...so ill bear that in mind Dvorak....although i will remember to think about the descent as well as the up hill stuff

Got something to say?

To join the discussion, sign in or join us.

About This Thread

Maintained by psycho1
okay guys- silly question for those who know what they are doing

basically when i am in the early...

Related Threads

  • training









Back To Top
X

Free training & racing tools for runners, cyclists, swimmers & walkers.

Fetcheveryone lets you analyse your training, find races, plot routes, chat in our forum, get advice, play games - and more! Nothing is behind a paywall, and it'll stay that way thanks to our awesome community!
Get Started
Click here to join 112,218 Fetchies!
Already a Fetchie? Sign in here