Strength Building Hill Tempo

Workout - Strength Building Hill Tempo

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 15min @ 4'40''/km
  • 15min @ 4'10''/km
  • 2min rest
• 10min @ 7'00''/km

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Intro: Ben Is Running posted a good breakdown of “Brutal Hill Workout in Nike Vaporfly Next%”. Worth watching in full. We’ve pulled out the essentials so you can try this session today.

Key points:

• A 45-minute hill tempo block: 3 × 15 minutes on a steep 458 m (about 1,500 ft) climb in Essex.
• Each 15-minute rep averages around 4:00/km (closer to 4:06/km in round two, 4:10 in round three) across roughly 3.6 km of climbing and descending.
• Pacing: push hard up the hill (about 8/10), controlled on the way down (about 6/10), with 2 minutes easy between reps.
• Set your watch’s interval timer to keep recoveries honest. Any sports watch works, a Garmin is ideal.
• Heart rate sits in tempo range (around 170 bpm at the summit, around 158 bpm on the way down).
• Builds leg strength for cross-country racing and aerobic capacity for a sub-32 10K.

Workout example:

1. Warm-up: jog down the hill and start your timer.
2. Set 1: 15 minutes, attack the uphill and run steady down. Aim for about 4:00/km. Finish with 2 minutes easy.
3. Set 2: 15 minutes, target about 4:06/km. 2 minutes easy.
4. Set 3: 15 minutes, target about 4:10/km. 2 minutes easy (or call it done).
5. Cool-down: easy jog or walk back.

Practical tips:

• Pre-load the intervals on your watch. You’ll get a beep at each 15-min block and at the 2-minute recoveries.
• Stick to the effort rating: 8/10 climbing, 6/10 descending.
• Watch your heart rate. A dip on the descent is normal.
• If the hill is too steep or long, shorten the work to 10 minutes but keep the intensity.

Closing note: try this hill tempo session, and remember you can adjust paces and interval lengths in the Pacing app for your fitness.

References

• BRUTAL HILL WORKOUT IN NIKE VAPORFLY NEXT% - YouTube (YouTube Video)