Marathon Strength Hill Session
Workout - Marathon Strength Hill Session
- 10min @ 6'00''/km
- 8 lots of:
- 1min @ 4'30''/km
- 2min rest
- 20min @ 3'36''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 1min @ 3'30''/km
- 2min rest
- 10min @ 6'00''/km
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Intro
Ben Parkes covers HILL REPS session.. for MARATHON RUNNING SUCCESS! Get STRONG! in one of his videos. Here’s a breakdown to help you get started with the workout. Watch the full video for the complete picture, but here’s what you need to run it today.
Key points
- Hill reps, a form of Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them, strengthen the legs and prep you for the downhill stretches common in the second half of a marathon.
- Run 6 to 8 reps uphill, holding a hard effort for roughly 60 seconds each. Jog back down at an easy pace. Let heart rate drop to around 140 bpm (Zone 2) before going again. The recovery window matters as much as the effort.
- After the hill reps, shift to flat ground for a 20-minute steady run at a “comfortably uncomfortable” pace. This builds the endurance marathons demand, and it’s different from the race-specific work for 10K. See Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
- Add downhill repeats to close, then a 5-minute easy jog to bring HR down.
- Push hard on the way up, but don’t skip the recovery between reps. Adaptation happens there, not just in the effort.
Workout example
- Warm-up: 5-minute easy jog plus some dynamic stretches.
- Hill reps, 6 to 8:
- 60 seconds of hard uphill running (around 90 to 95% effort). Near-maximal intensity for strength building, which is different from the shorter reps you’d do when Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
- Jog back down at an easy pace, letting HR settle around 140 bpm.
- 20-minute steady run on flat terrain at roughly 3:32 to 3:40 min/km.
- Downhill repeats: 60 seconds of effort on a gentler downslope, then ease back up.
- Cool-down: 5-minute easy jog.
Closing note
Try this hill-repeat workout and adjust paces with the Pacing app to match your current fitness. You’ll build real strength for those marathon climbs.