Good hill running technique means running by effort, not pace. On climbs, let your pace drop, shorten your stride and keep your cadence quick. On descents, stay relaxed, lean slightly forward and control your speed, because downhill running loads your muscles far harder than your heart rate suggests. Uphill and downhill are separate skills, and they need separate training.

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Why is running uphill so much harder?

Running uphill raises the energy cost of every step, because you are lifting your body weight as well as moving it forward. Holding flat-ground pace on a climb pushes you well above your sustainable effort, and you pay for it on the next flat section.

• Effort, not pace — hold the same breathing rhythm or heart rate you would use on the flat, and accept the slower split
• Expect a big pace drop — on a steady 5–8% climb, 30–60 seconds per km slower than flat pace at the same effort is normal
• Steep sections — on gradients of roughly 20% and above, fast power-hiking with hands on thighs is often as quick as running and costs less energy

What is the best uphill running technique?

Short, quick steps and a tall posture with a slight lean from the ankles keep climbing efficient.

• Shorter stride — small steps, quick turnover, feet landing under your hips
• Lean from the ankles — not from the waist, which collapses your hips and restricts breathing
• Drive the arms — a compact, rhythmic arm swing sets the cadence for your legs
• Eyes up — look 5–10 metres ahead rather than at your feet
• Crest and continue — run over the top for a few strides before easing, because most runners lose time just after the summit

Why does downhill running hurt your legs?

Downhill running is easy on your heart and lungs but hard on your muscles. Each step is a braking action, with the thigh muscles lengthening under load (eccentric contraction). That is what causes the deep soreness two days after a hilly race, even when your heart rate stayed low.

The good news: a single dose of downhill running makes your muscles more resistant to the same damage next time. This is known as the repeated bout effect, and it is why gradual downhill practice pays off on race day.

What is the best downhill running technique?

Relax, lean slightly forward with the slope and keep your feet moving quickly.

• Lean with the hill — leaning back increases braking forces and the load on your thighs
• Quick cadence — short, light steps keep each impact smaller
• Land under your body — overstriding with a heel strike is the main braking error
• Arms wide for balance — especially on technical trail
• Control, not speed — on steep or rocky descents, safe and steady loses little time and protects your legs for the next climb

Three hill running sessions worth doing

1. Short hill sprints (power and form)

• Session — 8–10 × 10–12 seconds hard up a steep hill, walking back down for full recovery
• When — once a week, at the end of an easy run
• Why — it builds leg strength and running economy with very little fatigue

2. Hill repeats (strength endurance)

• Session — 6–10 × 60–90 seconds at 5–10 km race effort on a 4–8% gradient, jogging back down
• When — once a week in a build phase
• Why — the classic way to raise fitness with less impact than flat speedwork

3. Controlled downhill practice (durability)

• Session — 4–6 × 30–60 seconds on a gentle 3–5% descent at relaxed, controlled speed, walking back up
• When — every one to two weeks, starting 8–10 weeks before a hilly race
• Why — it builds muscle resilience through the repeated bout effect, so descents cost less on race day

Which to choose

• Road races with rolling hills — start with session 2
• Mountain or trail races with long descents — sessions 2 and 3 matter most
• Everyone, all year — session 1

For a longer, loop-based option that mixes climbing and flat running, see our hill loop workouts.

How do you progress hill training safely?

Increase one variable at a time — the number of reps, the length of the climb or the speed of the descent, never all three in the same week. Give uphill and downhill work their own sessions, and repeat a level for two weeks before moving on.

• Weeks 1–2 — 6 hill repeats, plus one downhill session of 4 reps
• Weeks 3–4 — 8 hill repeats, downhill stays at 4 reps
• Weeks 5–6 — 8 hill repeats, downhill rises to 6 reps
• Signs it is working — climbs feel controlled at the same effort, and soreness after descents fades

How should you fuel hilly runs and trail races?

For hilly runs over 90 minutes, take 40–60 g of carbohydrate per hour. In trail races, take 60–90 g per hour, with fluid and sodium matched to the heat and your sweat rate. Climbs raise energy use sharply, and a hilly route takes longer than a flat one of the same distance, so fuel by time, not kilometres. Our guide to how much carbohydrate you need per hour explains how to set your number.

• Precision Fuel PF 60 Chew — 60 g of carbohydrate in a 68 g bar; easy to break into portions on long climbs where you are hiking and can chew
• Precision Hydration PH 1000 — 1,000 mg of sodium per litre for warm trail days, when sweat losses climb with the gradient
• Pillar Performance Triple Magnesium — for the evening after long descents; magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Browse the energy chews collection and the hydration collection.

Common mistakes in hill running

• Chasing flat pace uphill — it blows your effort budget for the rest of the run
• Overstriding downhill — heel-first braking multiplies the load on your thighs
• No downhill training before a hilly race — the race becomes your first exposure, and your legs pay for it
• Progressing everything at once — more reps, longer hills and faster descents together is a recipe for injury
• Under-fuelling long hilly runs — climbing burns carbohydrate faster than flat running at the same effort and duration

FAQ

Do hill repeats make you faster on the flat?
Yes. Hill repeats build leg strength, power and running economy, and raise aerobic fitness with less impact than flat speedwork. Many runners use one hill session a week in the base and early build phases, then shift towards race-pace work on the flat as the target race approaches.

Hill repeats vs hill sprints: which is better?
They do different jobs. Hill sprints of 10–12 seconds build power and form with almost no fatigue, so they suit every runner all year. Hill repeats of 60–90 seconds build strength endurance and aerobic fitness, so they belong in a build phase. Most runners benefit from both.

How often should you do hill training?
Once a week is enough for most runners, with short hill sprints added at the end of an easy run if you want more. Runners preparing for mountain or trail races can add a dedicated downhill session every one to two weeks, starting about two months before the race.

Why do my legs hurt after running downhill?
Downhill running makes your thigh muscles lengthen under load to brake each step. This eccentric work causes the delayed soreness that peaks one to two days later. Gradual downhill practice reduces it, because muscles adapt quickly after a first exposure. Short, quick steps also reduce the load.

Should you walk the steep hills in a trail race?
On gradients of roughly 20% and steeper, fast power-hiking is often as quick as running and costs noticeably less energy. Most experienced trail runners walk the steepest sections deliberately, hands on thighs, and save their running for gradual climbs, flats and descents.

The evidence behind this guide

• Energy cost of climbing — laboratory studies of running on gradients show the energy cost per metre rises steeply as the slope increases, which is why pace must drop to hold the same effort
• Walking vs running on steep ground — research on uphill locomotion finds that on very steep gradients walking becomes as economical as running, supporting the power-hiking strategy used by experienced trail runners
• The repeated bout effect—controlled studies since the 1980s show that one bout of downhill running significantly reduces muscle damage and soreness from a later bout, with protection lasting several weeks

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