hill sprints

Hill Sprint Finisher

Zoey · November 22, 2017 · Leave a Comment

This workout is a great option if you are 5km training or if you want to focus on having a kick at the end of your runs. If you are a person who struggles with a fast finish, then this is a great one to try.

You can do it as a quality session through the week, or in place of your long run.

Run at an easy pace for 50 minutes

Run at your tempo pace for 25 minutes

Then do 4 x 0:30 hill sprints up a steep hill at maximum speed with jogging return recoveries.

Walking or easy run cool down for 10 minutes.

If that’s a longer run than you would normally do, you can shorten it up by doing a 30 minute easy run, 15 minute tempo run, followed by the 4 hill sprints.

Workout of the Week: Pyramid Hills

Zoey · December 7, 2015 · Leave a Comment

What is the difference between a single, a double and a triple hill sprint? Well it looks a bit like this:

Single: 0:30 Hill Sprint, Walk back down
Double: 0:30 Hill Sprint, Downhill Sprint Return, 0:30 Hill Sprint, Walk back down
Triple: 0:30 Hill Sprint, Downhill Sprint Return, 0:30 Hill Sprint, Downhill Sprint Return, 0:30 Hill Sprint, Walk back down

You will get a bit of recovery by sprinting downhill in the double and triples, but not that much, so it’s a very challenging hill workout. If you don’t think you are quite up to that yet you could try alternating single hill sprints with double hill sprints and work up to the pyramid.

Downhill running is a really fantastic workout and it’s often ignored because it doesn’t feel as hard as uphill running. But it is great for developing speed and strength. It will improve your cadence in terms of getting your body used to having a faster foot turnover, it will develop your quads and your hamstrings and it will help your body to feel what it is like to go faster than it thinks it can which is a great muscle memory to develop.

Happy running!

Workout of the Week: Hill Sprints

Zoey · October 12, 2015 · Leave a Comment

My love of the hill sprint is very well documented. Regardless of what your fitness level, what distance your training for or what your goals are – the hill sprint is probably one of the best things you could possibly do for you.

The key to the hill sprints is that it should be a relatively steep hill and it should be an all out effort. The pacing can take a bit to get used to because you think you are leaving something in the tank to get through the interval and can then find you are cooked half way through. But once you do get a hang for it, it’s a great (and very time efficient!) workout.

You want to aim for a hill that is around a 7-10% gradient or really just one that’s steep enough that if you were driving in your car you would need to change to gear to drive up it (this only works if you drive a manual!)

For best results you will find you want to stand tall and stay tall but lean slightly forward from the ankles and do lots of fast short steps.

Happy Running!