Hills, hills, and more hills

 Hill workout, hill repeats, hill training, it comes by many names, but when it comes down to it, it's the same grueling workout.  You vs. the hill...again and again.  I've managed to avoid hill workouts most of my running "career?", but every once in a while, they pop up and I feel obligated to run them.  This week was one of those times.

The training plan I'm following (Smart Marathon Training - totally recommend) suggested finding the tallest hill in town and having that be your "proving ground".  Ha!  The author obviously doesn't live in MY TOWN.  There are hills around here that are easily a mile long.  I don't think he meant for this to be mile hill repeats.  So, I selected a medium-sized hill and plotted out the steepest 1/4 mile section of it to be "my hill".  Here we go.

On the menu this week was a mile warm-up, 6 hills (1/4 mile up, 1/4 mile down), and a mile cool-down.  5 miles...no biggie...right?  It was so much of a no biggie that I ended up stalling for almost an hour before I realized it was now or never and got out there.  And do you know what?  It was grueling.  At the top of each hill, I was dying and very grateful to turn around and go downhill.  Only to find myself at the bottom staring up again.  Grueling, I tell you!  I ended up eye-balling and cut the hill into thirds and would just focus on that 1/3 of the hill and that made it easier.  Up and down and up and down.  1 hill, 2 hills, 3 hills, and then 3 left, 2 left, and 1 left.  Finished!  I did my cool-down mile and went home happy about what I had accomplished...and knowing that hill and I will meet again...next week (agh!).

Later this week I had a 7-mile tempo run.  I have a course that I pretty much love and can easily pace myself on, so I headed on to that.  It was going well and then I got to the hardest part...a giant hill.  Where I usually do my best on it and get through it okay, this time I looked at that hill will fresh eyes.  Ha, I thought!  Only 1!  I can totally do that.  I charged the hill much like I had a few days earlier, although a little slower, but with much more confidence.   I had one smaller hill at the end of my run and approached it with much the same attitude.

That giant hill mile was one of the fastest times I had on that particular mile.  Thanks hill workout!  I thought you were just there to beat me up and wear me out, not to give me strength and confidence for later.  You have my respect now...and hopefully, I won't drag my feet to get out there next week...maybe.

Oh, and on a side note, my hamstrings are still screaming from those hills 4 days later.  I'm trying to lengthen my stride a little bit on the uphills so they are less impactful on my knees, and apparently, my lazy hamstrings aren't big fans of that.  You'll adjust my friends.  You'll adjust.

How about you?  Do you do hill workouts or do usually avoid them like I do?  If you run them, what does your version look like?  What helps you get up that hill over and over again?  I'd love to hear your stories too!