Tag: Hill sprints

Running. Getting into the flow

I don’t think I have ever experienced runners high, but I know that there are times during runs where everything clicks and running feels effortless. During these periods, all my muscles are relaxed, my whole body from my arms to my legs move together, my legs just turn over, and every movement feels like it is driving me forward. These times are few and far between, but they are what makes the training worth it.

I am two weeks into my running training for this year, and I have one goal; increase the frequency of this feeling. I assume that this flow state represents the most efficient and effective way to run and maximising the times when I feel this will make me faster. But the question is, what can I do to trigger this running sensation?

To improve my running flow, I perform pre-run dynamic stretching and post-run strides each time I run, short maximum effort hill sprints twice per week and one set of technique drills.

Pre-run warm-up routine

Before every run, I perform this short dynamic warm-up routine from @coachtommy.nrg on Instagram to get my legs moving:

  1. 10x Calf raises
  2. 10x Lunges
  3. 10x Squats (full range of motion)
  4. 10x Knee to chest
  5. 20x Leg swings on each side
  6. 30x Heel flicks 

Technique Drills

Once per week, currently on a Friday lunchtime, I perform technique drills from Pete Magill’s Fast 5K to work on my form:

  1. Skipping
  2. High skipping
  3. Long skipping
  4. Flat-footed marching
  5. High knees
  6. Bounding
  7. Quick feet
  8. Quick hops
  9. Butt Kicks

Each drill is performed for one repeat of 20 meters (on my driveway and down the side of my house), jog back, then stride the 20 meters, then walk back to the start for the next drill.

Very short, very steep, very fast hill sprints

Twice per week, I am performing hill sprints. I go to a steep hill (around the corner from my house) and run up it as fast as possible (maximal effort) for between 8-12 seconds. Walk down to recover and then repeat up to 10 times. Brad Hudson in Run Faster provides a progression:

  • Week 1: 1×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 2: 2×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 3: 3×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 4: 4×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 5: 5×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 6: 6×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 7: 7×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 8: 8×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 9: 10×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 10: 8×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 11: 10×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 12: 10×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 13: 8×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 14: 5×10 sec hill sprint

Post-run strides

Strides are short, fast runs of around 10-20 seconds with at least 40 seconds of light running between to recover. I have started to add them to the end of each run down a wide ally near my house. I run for 20 seconds and then jog back to the start. Jess Tonn, a seven-time All-American at Stanford, has built up to doing six to 10 of them nearly every day, often logging more than 50 post-run strides in a week. I am running four days per week and follow a progression similar to the hill sprints for each run:

  • Week 1: 2x 20-second stride
  • Week 2: 3x 20-second stride
  • Week 3: 4x 20-second stride
  • Week 4: 5x 20-second stride
  • Week 5: 6x 20-second stride
  • Week 6: 7x 20-second stride
  • Week 7: 8x 20-second stride
  • Week 8: 10x 20-second stride
  • Week 9: 8x 25-second stride
  • Week 10: 10x 25-second stride
  • Week 11: 10x 25-second stride
  • Week 12: 8x 25-second stride
  • Week 13: 5x 25-second stride

Very short, very steep, very fast hill sprints

To get faster, you need to train all the muscles used in running, according to Pete Magill in his book Fast 5k. Most of us distance runners are good at training at multiple paces to support this idea but neglect the very short burst speed that develops power. Brad Hudson suggests in Running faster to add to your weekly schedule ‘very short, very steep, very fast hill sprints to build strength and power.’ Building power will produce a longer stride, a shorter contact time between the foot and the ground, and increase muscles resistance to fatigue. 

There are two ways to increase strength and power; the first is to increase muscle mass; the second is to increase the percentage of muscle fibres that are activated in a given movement. High-performance distance running is highly connected to relative strength, so to get faster, it is better to focus on muscle recruitment rather than get more muscle. The good news is that most people can only recruit 50% of their muscle fibres at any one time, so there is a lot of room for progress.

Power is movement-specific as it is related to coordination. Running power needs to be trained through running or movements very similar to running such as single-leg strength and plyometrics once a base level of strength is achieved. Maximal effort sprints are a great way to train this running specific power. Performing these sprints up a steep hill will reduce the impact and reduce the risk of injury and force greater muscle recruitment.

Go to the steepest hill you can find and run up it as fast as possible for between 8-12 seconds. Walk down to recover and then repeat up to 10 times.

Adding maximal effort hill sprints to your week

The essential point is that to build power; the sprints need to be maximal. Maximal-effort means run as fast as you possibly can run. To help make these maximal, use the steepest hill you can find and recover by walking down to give your muscles a chance to recover enough to go 100% again. Maximal effort running will cause unconditioned runners to get injured so add these gradually to your programme, starting with a single sprit the first session. The sprints should be performed directly after an easy run, once per week, every week. Hudson suggests doing them the day after your long run. 

A simple progression for maximal effort hill sprints

Sprints should be performed directly after an easy run up a very steep hill. Stop if you are no longer able to produce a maximal effort.

  • Week 1: 1×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 2: 2×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 3: 3×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 4: 4×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 5: 5×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 6: 6×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 7: 7×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 8: 8×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 9: 10×8 sec hill sprint
  • Week 10: 8×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 11: 10×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 12: 10×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 13: 8×10 sec hill sprint
  • Week 14: 5×10 sec hill sprint