Hill Running

What is it?

Hill sessions involve repeated efforts run uphill, usually followed by a jog or walk back down as recovery. We run several different hill formats including timed hill pyramids, hill sprints, Kenyan-style hill circuits, and single duration "up, down, repeat" sessions, each targeting slightly different strengths.

As with our other effort sessions, hills are timed rather than measured by distance. Hills vary in gradient and length from location to location, so a fixed distance would mean very different efforts for different runners, timing the reps instead means everyone gets the same training stimulus and the same structure, working to their own effort level, regardless of pace or the specific hill.

The different formats we use

Hill Sprints are short, sharp, near-maximal efforts (typically 8–15 seconds) with a full walk back down as recovery. These build power and explosive strength with minimal aerobic fatigue, since the effort is brief and recovery is complete.

Timed Hill Pyramids build up and back down in effort length, for example, 30 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec, then back down through 45 sec and 30 sec, jogging back down as recovery each time. The changing durations keep the session varied and teach you to settle into and hold effort across different rep lengths.

Kenyan-style Hill Circuits are continuous efforts of running hard uphill and jogging straight back down, over and over, for a set total time (e.g. 20–30 minutes) rather than a fixed number of reps. Popularised by East African training camps, this style keeps you moving with minimal standing rest, building both strength and a high-end aerobic engine in one session.

Single Duration "Up, Down, Repeat" sessions keep the effort and recovery the same length throughout, for example, 60 seconds hard up, jog back down, repeated for a set number of reps. This is a good baseline hill session, useful for tracking progress over time since the format itself doesn't change.

How it works

Running uphill increases the demand on your muscles and cardiovascular system without requiring the same top-end leg speed as flat sprinting, which makes hills a relatively low-impact way to build both strength and high-end fitness.

Different formats train different things:

• Sprints build explosive power and running economy, similar to flat sprint training but with lower impact, since the incline naturally shortens stride and limits overstriding

• Pyramids and circuits build strength-endurance, since sustained or repeated uphill effort raises heart rate and demand quickly

• Continuous circuit-style sessions add an aerobic training effect on top of the strength benefit, since there's little full recovery across the session

The uphill effort also forces a more efficient running form - shorter stride, higher cadence, stronger arm drive - which tends to carry over to flat running technique too.

Why it matters

Hills build strength in the exact muscles used for running, without needing a gym, and with less impact than flat speedwork. Members consistently tell us they feel the benefits of hill training; better strength, better form, more confidence on undulating routes and races - even if the sessions themselves aren't always the ones people look forward to most! The results tend to speak for themselves over a training block.

Example sessions

Single Duration Hills

• 10 min warm-up

• 6 × 45 sec hard effort uphill, jog back down as recovery

• 10 min cooldown

Timed Hill Pyramid

• 10–15 min warm-up including strides

• 30 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec hard efforts uphill, jogging back down as recovery between each

• 10 min cooldown

How to pace it

For short sprints, effort should be near-maximal, with a focus on strong form and drive rather than speed alone. For pyramids and circuit-style sessions, effort should be hard but controlled, something you could sustain consistently across the whole session, since the aim is repeatable effort, not an all-out max on the first rep.

Coaching tip

Hills are often the session people enjoy least in the moment, but appreciate most in hindsight, the strength and form gains show up in every other session you run. If a hill session feels tough, that's usually the point: stick with it, and the benefit will show up on flatter ground too.

Related sessions

Hills work well alongside other effort types in a balanced training week:

• Threshold Running — sustained efforts that raise your lactate threshold, including our 10-week progressive series

• Interval Running — a mix of fartleks, pyramids, and timed intervals that raise your aerobic ceiling

• Easy Running — the foundation that makes every harder session possible