I don't walk I'm a fellrunner!
Training for walking uphill?
On long distance challenges like the BGR most people will be walking on the uphills plus in races on steep ascents people walk, my question is does anyone train for walking uphills?
On Billy and Gavins wee walk round the Bob Graham the runners pacing them had trouble keeping up on the climbs so it seems that walking is faster depending on how steep it is.
Also walking is more efficient so should people doing BGR training concentrate more on walking than running?
Bill
Come on don't be shy now
In the races I've been in at least 50% or more of the time was spent walking so if so much time in a race is spent doing it why do people not train for it
Bill
Even in short races I walk up the steep hills. I think it is more efficient (although I do have long legs) and a lot of the power comes from the ankles.
I don't really believe you need to simulate racing conditions in training and there aren't really long steep hills around where I live to train for this kind of thing anyway.
Originally Posted by Baggins
Come on don't be shy now
In the races I've been in at least 50% or more of the time was spent walking so if so much time in a race is spent doing it why do people not train for it
Bill
I thought thats what training is for? Isn't training supposed to be specific?
If someone trains for walking uphill they would either be able to go up faster or recover more compared to someone of equal ability who does not?
Bill
Keven Shevels wrote a small booklet about
Uphill Techniques For Off-Road Runners
Other titles in this series include:
An Introduction to Fell Running
Mountain Marathon Preparation
Downhill Techniques for Off-road Runners
Navigation for Runners
Terrain Training for Off-road Runners
Strength and Conditioning for Off-road Runners
Speed Training for Off-road Runners
These are small booklets and cost far too much.
The best book, and far better value for money, is still:
Off-Road Running by Sarah Rowell
Last edited by XRunner; 07-05-2007 at 12:52 PM.
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A long time ago (in a galaxy far away..) I used to be a racewalker, and do a bit of fellrunning on the side.
I'm now mainly a fellrunner, and don't do much racewalking (am told by some racewalkers that I still have a naturally fast walking pace), but do a lot of cycling.
Since focussing on fellrunning I think I've become even more efficient at my running ascents, and can still run past most people on the climbs. Once in a while on a bad day on a very steep climb, I have seen some very long legged people walking past me, taking deliberately long strides, but I soon pass them closer to the top, as I force myself to increase the cadence and lengthen stride. Bacause they've been walking they find it harder to get back into a running pace.
Cycling has made a massive difference, but walking didn't - infact I feel I was worse when I was doing it. Having said that I've known some very top level racewalkers (commonwealth games standard) who are also (in this Island) very good fellrunners.
One thing I would say is that racewalking did improve ankle strength, making it less likely to turn one on a descent. On the other hand walking doesn't do much to strengthen the muscles at the back of the legs, which you need when climbing.
So if you're going to cross train to improve uphill running strength, then I would say cycling is far more valuable than walking. Be aware however it will compromise your flat running speed to a certain extend due to the increased quad density.
The thing which makes the difference on the hills, is a combination of things - leg strength, and the will to suffer and keep yourself running while others are walking. If you have the ability to run sufficiently hard enough, then you will overtake most people who are walking the climbs.
I would say that as a racewalker, I felt my core muscle groups were far more utilised than they are in running (expecially abdominal strength + Gleuts), furthermore I felt my heart and lungs were pushed far harder than when running (basically you have to actually do far more work when walking than running to get pace gains). Your flexibility also increases.
You will build a lot of stamina from vigourous hill walking, and if you're carrying gear (such as rucksacks, etc) then it gives an added strength benefit.
On the whole though, in my experience compared to other disciplines (such as cycling) as I've said, I didn't feel the two sports had as many crossover benefits as from other disciplines such as cycling.
Still if it makes a difference for you, then why not? You could always incorporate vigourous walking into a rest/easy day, giving you a break from running?
Last edited by AllanT; 07-05-2007 at 02:44 PM.
I'm so naughty!!!!!!
went for a 4 hr walk yesterday , loads of hills, it does help but i think a lot is in your genes
i am better going uphill if i really hold back and pace the climb better
more often than not you will struggle if you have blasted off at the start, lots of races i do you pass runners that have clearly got this wrong, its a very fine line between pacing correctly and going to quick ending up knackered 1/2 way up a climb
I'd have to agree with Al
My regular running partner was a good cyclo cross rider and a good cyclist and when we are out together we run at a pretty even pace until we hit the hills and his legs just keep on going where I have to walk. That said I can walk as fast as most people(around me) can run, but as Al says it takes me a while to get my rythm back at the tops.
IDP,
Do you think that maybe your running partner just stays with you on the flat to be sociable? I presume he's doing the BGR with you this year and he wouldn't want to give you the impression that he was faster than you, would he?
In endless fruitless pursuit of roadrunners...
Very true, pacing is often the key - however in short explosive races getting a good placing at the start can also help. The key is to find the maximum pace you can sustain before the lactic build up gets too much for you to tolerate (or before you go anearobic too soon).
From personal experience, in this years MMM, I sat well back at the start, allowing people to run away from me down the road section. One of my friends who saw me at the start of the first ascent said I was well back of where he expected me to be. I sat back, settled into a rythm that was comfortable for me (similar to my cycling rythm basically as I'd spent a lot more time cycling than running). Then running strongly, but comfortably, I reeled in at least 20 competitors on the first climb to N Barrule, running within myself (but feeling totally comfortable) at a pace I felt relaxed at, and sustaining this running speed in places that most of the people around me were walking in.
By halfway through the race I was near the back of the mid field (running with someone who finished in 60th place- good run for them, never having done it before), then having sustained the pace for most of the race, I increased it dramatically in the last 1/4 of the race, coming through very hard to finish in 25th place, and running faster splits for the sections than a large number of the runners who finished infront of me (basically I was chasing them down).
Apart from in 3 places (3/4 of the way up N Barrule, 1/2way up Colden & 1/3rd of the climb at Fleshwick), I didn't walk at all. So for me personally, pacing was far more important than anything else.
If I feel anything let me down, it was my lack of pace on the flat, I was probably a bit too slow, also I maybe didn't run the descents as hard as I could, this was in order to conserve energy and save my legs. That said I was able to overtake many of the surrounding runners on the descents, all while feeling I was resting!
Last edited by AllanT; 07-05-2007 at 05:02 PM.
I'm so naughty!!!!!!
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