Training for walking uphill?

[Baggins]

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?

A rest day I often "walk" up Great Bourne, last week I was just going to go up fast then jog back down, spent about five minutes on the summit trying not to throw up so wouldn't call it a rest day!

I am coming from a climbing background so am a strong walker I've found in the races I've been in I can walk away from the people I'm with on the hills (they sometimes catch me again on the descents but not always )
on one of the races I ran the course again the next week, but running all the climbs, took about 1 1/2mins longer, I do realise I'm training what I'm good at rather than my weakness

Interesting post though Allan, I went up Scafell with a lad who had placed in the top five in a lakeland super long last year and he ran while I walked (he was taking it easy) so faster fell runners run up hills?

The thing is Billy Bland had a very fast walking pace uphill and could pass runners, he could run a bit as well mind did Billy train for it or was he just a naturally fast walker or it a crossover from his running ability.

Bill

[daz h]

A rest day I often "walk" up Great Bourne, last week I was just going to go up fast then jog back down, spent about five minutes on the summit trying not to throw up so wouldn't call it a rest day!

I am coming from a climbing background so am a strong walker I've found in the races I've been in I can walk away from the people I'm with on the hills (they sometimes catch me again on the descents but not always )
on one of the races I ran the course again the next week, but running all the climbs, took about 1 1/2mins longer, I do realise I'm training what I'm good at rather than my weakness

Interesting post though Allan, I went up Scafell with a lad who had placed in the top five in a lakeland super long last year and he ran while I walked (he was taking it easy) so faster fell runners run up hills?

The thing is Billy Bland had a very fast walking pace uphill and could pass runners, he could run a bit as well mind did Billy train for it or was he just a naturally fast walker or it a crossover from his running ability.

Bill

you would have to say billy indeed trained for it , did i read somewhere that he upped his mileage to 100miles a week on the fells, has anyone ever trained harder specifically for racing on the fells
one thing ive noticed is that there are quite a few runners with odd styles of uphill running/walking
well i say odd but obv works for them
so technique does come into it , but for steep climbs i always think of what naylor says when interviewed
your legs get to a point where they have accepted the climbing but it takes a lot of hrs and miles of training.
i think its taken me 3 hard years of off road training just to get where i am
some of my clubmates think im certifiable for always running up and down hills, but it def pays off

[Joe]

One technique I've tried is running for 20 paces then walking for 10 - this stops you from getting too tired running, and also keeps you walking fast.

[daz h]

One technique I've tried is running for 20 paces then walking for 10 - this stops you from getting too tired running, and also keeps you walking fast.

i know from experience , ive counted every step
from behind

[Baggins]

Was going up Knock Murton in a race in March, going up in a line on the path couldn't get by due to really deep heather so we were all heads down stomping up, after about a minute I looked towards the front of the line it was a lady in hiking boots carrying a rucksack everyone else was just plodding behind her!
So I think there must be a few more "when I'm knackered"s out there.

Bill

[IanDarkpeak]

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?

oooh that's a little harsh, You wouldn't be a DPer or even a PFer would you.
I'm sure my running buddy would be the first to admit my stride is much longer than his and as such favours me on the flat stuff.

He is very strong up hill but when he has to walk I soon catch up and no I don't think he's waiting for me we've had many a good tussel over the last year

yes he is attempting the BG with me along with four others and he was on the 15 Trigs and will be running with me on the Fellsman, will you be there...?

[Rombald]

In training I normally run everything, though there aren't any massive steep climbs around here. This includes some ascents that I would probably walk during a race (eg. up the steps from Otley to Surprise View). Not completely sure why, but it might be because I tend to make things harder for myself in training and also if someone sees me I prefer to be seen as a runner rather than a walker!

In a race, things are a bit different, as average speed over the route is the main concern, and it doesn't really matter whether this is done by walking or running, so I'll start to walk as soon as I think it will be faster. Race conditions will mean that I'll be more tired anyway and would find it harder to run the climb than I would if I were just out for a training run.

Everyone has a point, at least in some races/runs, where they will start walking, but the best runners will run a lot more of the climbs than the slower runners.

[Baggins]

In training I normally run everything, though there aren't any massive steep climbs around here. This includes some ascents that I would probably walk during a race (eg. up the steps from Otley to Surprise View). Not completely sure why, but it might be because I tend to make things harder for myself in training and also if someone sees me I prefer to be seen as a runner rather than a walker!

In a race, things are a bit different, as average speed over the route is the main concern, and it doesn't really matter whether this is done by walking or running, so I'll start to walk as soon as I think it will be faster. Race conditions will mean that I'll be more tired anyway and would find it harder to run the climb than I would if I were just out for a training run.

Everyone has a point, at least in some races/runs, where they will start walking, but the best runners will run a lot more of the climbs than the slower runners.

I can see if the goal is to get fit enough to run all the climbs, then running them in training is a good thing but if you are always going to walk up them in a race it must be better to walk up them in training (I don't mean to recover and get a rest I mean go up as fast as possible to get your legs used to a fast climbing pace)

Are there any coaches who can give some input?

Bill

[Wylie Coyote]

oooh that's a little harsh, You wouldn't be a DPer or even a PFer would you.
I'm sure my running buddy would be the first to admit my stride is much longer than his and as such favours me on the flat stuff.

He is very strong up hill but when he has to walk I soon catch up and no I don't think he's waiting for me we've had many a good tussel over the last year

yes he is attempting the BG with me along with four others and he was on the 15 Trigs and will be running with me on the Fellsman, will you be there...?

Didn't mean to be mean!
I can't do the Fellsman this year, trouble and strife!! Great event that I ahve thoroughly enjoyed, maybe next year. They say it is a good target race for the BG (16 hours I have heard quoted)
Keep eating the Cheese!

More seriously on the subject of this thread - Training wears you out. To maximise training cross training is surely ideal in that you can exercise on rest days! Thus cycling twice a week and running (hard) 3 times a week would seem to be an ideal way to improve on running fitness in general. I quoted Paul Tergat on another thread where he maintains that you have to run hills to gain leg strength (although I don't think he is necessarily talking about the sort of hills that we run/walk the principle must still be the same.)
Go and run a road race somewhere flat and the locals will complain about some small rise in the terrrain that we would find inconsequential. It is all a matter of of relative perception. On my first road marathon (Kingston) my legs ached for a hill and I looked forward to running over Hampton Court Bridge on every lap.

[Grouse]

In training I always run past walkers until they're out of sight then start walking again