Training for Hilly Races - The Run Experience

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Training for Hilly Races from The Run Experience. 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

Hill‑specific strength is the foundation: focus on quads, calves, glutes, and core.
Core and posture work (open chest, upright spine) helps keep the body stable on steep grades.
Mix short power‑hill efforts (≤30 s) with 2‑3 min easy jog recovery and longer endurance hills (60‑120 s) with a relaxed jog back down.
Use a weight vest or held weight for step‑ups, marching, and walking lunges to train the “core‑knee‑drive” you need on long climbs.
Complement hill work with a strength circuit (step‑ups, rows, jumping lunges, weighted back squats, walking lunges) and dedicated ankle/hip mobility.
Dynamic warm‑ups for the lower‑leg, plus regular hydration, electrolytes, and 1–1.5 g protein per lb body weight, are essential for recovery and performance.

Workout Example (adjust paces/distances to your level or use the Pacing app to set custom intervals):

Warm‑up – 5 min easy jog + dynamic lower‑leg drills (high‑knees, butt‑kicks).
Hill interval set – Find a hill with ~10‑15 % grade.
- Power hill: 30 s all‑out uphill, then 2 min jog down.
- Endurance hill: 60 s steady uphill, then 3 min easy jog down.
- Repeat each type 4 times (total 8 repeats).
Strength circuit (2 ×):
- 15 step‑ups each leg (slow tempo)
- 12 ring rows
- 12 jumping lunges
- 8 weighted back squats (use a vest or bar)
- 12 walking lunges each leg (vest optional)
Cool‑down – 5 min easy jog + ankle/hip mobility work.

Closing Note: Give these hill‑focused sessions a try this week and feel free to tweak the interval lengths, recovery times, or added weight in the Pacing app to match your current fitness. You’ll notice stronger legs, better posture, and a more confident stride on any elevation‑heavy race. Happy climbing—go own those hills!