How To Run Up A Hill

When you use a cardio machine at the gym, do you hold onto the front or sides of the machine?  If so, congratulations!  You have successfully trained yourself to need that walker you’ll be relying upon to keep from toppling over someday.  The human head is heavy, true, but that is why you were given the appropriate musculature to counter the forces that pull you forward.  Clinging to a machine as you move yourself to nowhere won’t do you any favors in terms of strength; however, there is a way to break yourself of that nasty little habit: run your butt up a hill.

Running up a hill is painful and there may be hundreds of other activities you can currently think of that you would rather do instead, but it is a worthwhile activity nonetheless because you will feel like hell while doing it and supreme holy ruler of the world when you make it to the top.  Whatever crampy, nauseous, burning sensation you may experience while running up a hill will instantly disappear once you crest that bad boy, replaced by a calming sense of having accomplished a feat that a large percentage of the population at any given moment will never know or understand.  You will be the envy of any and all who have not also run up a hill and survived to tell the tale.

There is a method to running up a hill so that when you arrive at the top of said hill you are not bent over so far in exhaustion as to memorize every crease in your belly-button.  Here’s a step-by step tutorial on uphill running:

Step 1: Set your posture

Your head has more weight in the front than in the back, so moving forward is a no-brainer; the trick, however, is to move yourself forward but not down, which is where good posture comes into play.  To attain good posture, bring your chin back, pull your shoulder blades back and down, tuck your navel into your spine, and soften your knee joints.  By consciously engaging the muscles of the neck and trunk to hold yourself in an upright position you are capable of literally lifting yourself up that hill.  This does not mean that running uphill will be easy, but you have a better chance of following through on your goal to reach the top if you maintain a posture that is consistent with a winning attitude.

Step 2: Set your breathing

You are already on track to breathe well once you’ve set your posture, as keeping yourself in a strong, upright position automatically opens up your chest cavity, thus giving your lungs room to fully expand.  Now focus on taking deep breaths in your nose and exhaling forcefully out your mouth.  If you are a chronic mouth-breather because you sit in front of a computer all day, then breathing in your nose will feel uncomfortable and you will want to go back to your semi-hyperventilated state, but resist this urge and you will be rewarded with more energy than you ever thought possible.

Step 3: Set your gaze

Be aware that looking down at your shoes or the ground will have you fighting the good sense you just gained from setting your posture and breathing, so keep your eyes up to see where you are headed.  It may be frightening to observe the distance you must cover before you reach the top of the hill, but facing your fear may be just what you need to get a hold of it.  You will go where your eyes go, so decide whether you want to run up the hill or you want to run yourself into the ground, and then set your gaze accordingly.

Step 4: Set your pace

Start out slowly, keeping your posture, breathing, and gaze steady.  Maintain a consistent pace for the first part of the hill, and then pick up your pace as you approach the top of the hill.  Whether you are alone on your hill or you are surrounded by onlookers, you must give the impression that you have conquered that hill on your own terms.  Dominate at the end and your victory will feel that much sweeter.

After you have run a hill or two, go back to the gym and see if you still want to hold onto that cardio machine for dear life.  If you do, repeat steps 1-4 until that desire subsides.

For a hill-lover’s challenge and bona fide endorphin-rush, try running to Council Crest in SW Portland from the Hillsdale Public library.  This route takes you through the lovely hillside neighborhoods and runs straight up until you hit the Fairmont loop, where you’ll enjoy a mild reprieve before heading up Himes Street to Beaverton Avenue, and finally onto Council Crest Drive.  Take the direct route up the grassy hill to the compass, and then cherish that full-body burning sensation as you take in the 360-degree views of the city from atop your hill.