Course Records in Sight: Mastering Our Hilliest Training Routes

If you’ve ever stared up one of our infamous hills mid-run and thought, “How is this even possible?” — you’re not alone. But here’s the good news: mastering our hilliest training routes could be your ticket to smashing course records this season.

Running hills isn’t just about strength; it’s about strategy, patience, and smart training. Hills teach your body efficiency. They build powerful glutes, hamstrings, and calves — the muscles that drive your stride when you need to surge or sprint for the finish. Plus, the mental toughness you develop grinding up a steep incline? That’s race-day gold.

Training to Conquer the Hills

Start by treating hill workouts as a regular part of your weekly training. Once a week, pick one of our tougher routes and focus on controlled efforts. Don’t attack every hill at full speed — aim for a steady, sustainable rhythm going up, and use the downhills to practice fast, relaxed running.

Specific workouts can help, too. Try hill repeats: find a 100–200 meter hill with a moderate grade. Sprint or power-run up at about 80–90% effort, then jog or walk back down to recover. Start with 4–6 repeats, and add more as you build strength.

Another great session? Tempo runs over hilly terrain. Maintain a challenging, but steady pace over a rolling course — this simulates racing conditions perfectly and trains you to manage effort across changing gradients.

Race-Day Strategy

Mastering hills in training prepares you to race smarter. On race day, resist the temptation to charge up hills aggressively. Instead, lean slightly forward from the ankles (not the waist), pump your arms to drive momentum, and shorten your stride. Once you crest the hill, don’t collapse — push over the top and build speed on the descent. Many runners lose precious time here, but with practice, you can gain ground when it matters most.

Mind Over Matter

Perhaps the biggest advantage of hill training is psychological. Once you’ve tackled our toughest training routes, you know you can handle whatever the race throws at you. Confidence is a serious competitive edge. Every time you crest a hill in training, remind yourself: “I’m getting stronger. I’m getting faster.”

Final Thought

Those course records aren’t just for the elite runners — they’re within reach for anyone willing to put in the smart, hard work. Make hills your secret weapon, not your weakness.

This season, let’s stop dreading our hilliest routes. Let’s dominate them. Records are meant to be broken — and with the right training, the next one could have your name on it.