How to Run Faster: Run UP hills - Seth James DeMoor

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of How to Run Faster: Run UP hills from Seth James DeMoor. 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

Why hills matter: they force a higher knee‑drive, improve ankle explosiveness, boost suppleness, and give a solid aerobic stimulus without the mileage of a flat long run.
Four core benefits highlighted: knee‑drive, explosiveness, suppleness (ankle strength), and aerobic engine development.
Hill‑training styles:
1. Long sustained climbs – e.g., 60 min of continuous uphill at a hard‑but‑steady effort.
2. Hill repeats – short, steep bursts (e.g., 8 × 1 min) with easy jog down.
3. Rolling hills – undulating terrain that mixes strength and speed.
4. Creative substitutes – parking‑garage repeats, treadmill inclines, or sand‑dune sprints for flat‑area runners.
Form tips: lift the knee a bit higher, land on the mid‑foot/toes, keep strides short, and let the ankle spring with each step.

Workout Example

“Mountain‑Hill Repeater” (no specific grade required, just a steep enough hill):

Warm‑up 10 min easy on flat ground.
Run 8 × 1 min uphill at a hard effort (≈90 % max HR). Focus on high knee‑drive and quick ankle push‑off.
Jog or walk 1 min downhill for recovery.
Cool‑down 10 min easy. If you don’t have a hill, substitute with a treadmill set to 8–10 % incline for the 1‑minute bursts.

Closing Note

Give these hill drills a go and watch your speed climb! Feel free to adjust the repeats, duration, or incline to match your own paces in the Pacing app – then watch your legs get stronger, faster, and more efficient. Happy climbing!