How To Run Kenyan Hills - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

This is a quick summary of How To Run Kenyan Hills from The Running Channel. 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

Kenyan Hills are a tempo‑like hill session, not traditional hill repeats. You run a continuous undulating loop and keep the effort consistent on climbs, descents, and flats.
Choose any loop length—from about 400 m to 1 mile—and repeat it for a set time or distance.
Aim to stay around 90 % of max heart rate (threshold effort) throughout; heart rate may dip slightly on downhills but never into a recovery zone.
Benefits include stronger legs, tougher tendons, and improved endurance without the high impact of short, fast intervals.
Planning the loop in advance and having a partner can make the session more enjoyable and motivating.

Workout Example

Warm‑up: 10‑15 min easy jog to the start of your chosen loop.
Main set: 30 minutes of continuous running on the loop (you can split it into two 15‑minute segments with a 2‑minute easy jog in between if preferred). Keep effort steady—uphill, downhill, and flat should feel equally hard.
Cool‑down: 5‑10 min easy jog or walk.
Tip: If you only have 20 minutes, do a shorter loop and repeat it for the entire time; if you have more time, extend the total duration or add another loop.

Closing Note Give Kenyan Hills a try on your next training run—adjust the loop length and total time to match your current fitness, and use the Pacing app to tailor the effort to your own heart‑rate zones. Happy running!