Originally Posted by
Corniceman
An interesting concentration on ascent here in training. When I had my best years racing 2012/2013 before injury it was off far less emphasis on ascent and much more on running flat(tish) miles hard and fast. my min per mile speed then was 50 or so seconds faster than it is now and it shows in my race times and positions. Focus was on mile intervals, 2 mile intervals and tempo runs coupled with races and the odd day out at weekends on the hill a I was certainly fitter and faster then than at anytime since. And despite the lack of weekly based ascent, going up was my strength then, which I put down to leg speed and a well developed aerobic system. I didn't even do 10,000 feet a week before doing 'big rounds' but would agree that ascent and descent training in a considerable amount is a key part of successfully achieving day long challenges, long fell races but not so much the short and fast races of The Peak or Yorks.