How To Run: Uphill Running

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Uphill running is the greatest single place to gain advantage over every runner in the pack. While many fear it, it is the outline of the prepared athlete who knows how to take advantage of it. On the uphill plan to shorten your stride lean into the hill and lower your head. This is the only place you will ever do this in Cross Country.

Our objective is to stay in contact with the ground push off efficiently all the way up the hill. To lengthen the stride against gravity would kill all speed. So, emphasize push off with the shorten driving stride all the way to the crest of the hill. This girls know running uphill, requires shorter arm swings, a forward lane into the hill to get into an effective driving position and a foot plant on the ball of the foot.

It is critical. They run their best of the crest refusing to slow down at the top. They keep the same stride frequency at the crest of the hill and gain an advantage on the opposition by maintaining high stride rapidity as the hill flattens out beyond. These girls are concentrating on staying in contact with the ground and driving. The more fast ground contacts we can make up a hill, the faster we will be.

At the crest, we want to maintain this higher cadence as long as we can, much easier to do since the hill is over. Notice again the exaggerated forward lane and strong arm drive that is much different from the cruising mode a distance runner gets on flat sections. As the hill starts, the athlete shortens the stride and attacks with the arms. Notice how an increased frequency of turnover up the hill maintains the speed.

Where others slow on a hill, you can use this time to your best advantage by driving hard where others fail to. Although each athlete in this group segment shows small differences in form, each follows the basic principles of strong uphill running by changing a rhythm dramatically and powering up. Uphill running, leaning into the hill, quicken your phase by driving your arms rapidly, maintaining rapid and quick ground context. Keep your head level or slightly down and the crest best. Keep stride frequency going rapidly at the top of the hill.

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