(Year 1, Day 23) - PITT HALF, Week 2 of 12, Day 4

Hill Workout.  First one in quite some time.  I must say, I am a little surprised I even went through with it.  Running hill repeats kind of goes against what I have learned via Chi Running.  Hitting the hills can be quite rough on the knees, and you must be careful not to power your way up the hill.  Lean further forward, and fall to the top.

If you're new to hill workouts, I have what I think is important advice:  do NOT kill the hill!  I used to run hill repeats with the notion of getting to the top as fast I could.  Hell with my knees, quads, and calves.  The harder I pound the hill, the stronger my muscles will become, and the better runner I will be (sounds like most of my young career). 

This, in my opinion, is stupid.  We run as preparation to race.  So let me ask you:

You are 20 miles deep into a grueling marathon.  Your muscles ache, your mind is weary, and you are approaching a severe incline.  Are you going to sprint and power your way up this hill as quickly as you possibly can? 

When you run your hill workouts, run them as to prepare for your race.  I am not telling you to crawl up the hill...but don't go crazy.  The most important part of your hill interval is post-hill. 

Go back to mile 20 of the marathon.  The most important thing is to continue running a strong race AFTER the hill.  No matter what you do, anything short of taking a taxi, you will be exhausted at the crest...i promise you this.  But this is when you must refocus your mind and concentrate on your form.

So when you run your hill repeats, focus on just that.  Get up the hill...I promise your heart will be pumping no matter how fast you move.  When the ground beneath you starts to level out, and your mind begins thinking "thank goodness, time for a quick rest", force yourself to focus on your stride:  "Am I leaning forward at the ankles?" "Are my legs turning behind me?"  "Are my arms at 90 degrees?" 

It is not easy to focus your mind at the top of a steep climb, but that's why we are practicing it!  And I guarantee it will be easier to refocus if you haven't tried to break the land speed record on your way up.