Can You Run Faster Alone or in a Race? My 50km Uphill Challenge - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “Can You Run Faster Alone or in a Race? My 50km Uphill Challenge” from Lee Grantham. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Effort‑based training: Lee focuses on heart‑rate zones (specifically Zone 4) rather than chasing a specific pace. The goal is to keep the effort sustainable throughout the climb.
7 × 10‑minute hill repeats with 1‑minute rest between each repeat, done on a steep (up to 36.7 % gradient) 50 km uphill course.
Heart‑rate monitoring is essential – if the HR spikes to 180‑190 bpm you back off; the target is around 174 bpm for the 7‑minute repeats.
Support bike for water and supplies lets you stay in a “race‑like” condition without carrying a heavy pack.
Training in heat/humidity (30 °C) mimics race conditions and improves heat tolerance.
The target pace is around 3:52 min/km (average) with the aim to shave 10 minutes off the previous race time.

Workout Example

7 x 10‑minute uphill repeats (≈7 % average gradient)
- Run at a heart‑rate in Zone 4 (≈174 bpm) – focus on effort, not pace.
- 1‑minute easy recovery (drink, breathing, reset HR) between repeats.
- Total: 70 minutes of effort, roughly 15 km of climbing.
- Use a bike or motorbike support to carry water and gear.

Tip: If your HR climbs above the target zone, slow down until you’re back in the zone before continuing.

Closing Note

Give this hill‑repeat workout a try, adjust the intervals to match your own paces in the Pacing app, and see if you can beat your own best. Good luck, and enjoy the climb! 🚀