Why This Tip Matters
Hills can feel like the hardest part of any parkrun course — but they’re also one of your biggest opportunities. Instead of fearing hills or backing right off, learning to use hills as strength builders can make you a stronger, more confident runner.
The key isn’t sprinting uphill.
It’s applying a slight, controlled push that builds strength without blowing up your pace.
⛰️ Reframe Hills as a Training Tool
Every uphill section is a natural strength exercise:
- It recruits more muscle fibres
- Builds leg and glute strength
- Improves running economy
- Trains mental resilience
When approached correctly, hills make flat running feel easier and faster over time.
⚙️ How to Push “Slightly” on the Ups
The goal is effort-based, not pace-based.
On uphills:
- Maintain effort, not speed
- Add a small increase in drive through the legs
- Shorten your stride slightly
- Increase cadence
- Keep posture tall with a gentle forward lean from the ankles
Think “strong and controlled,” not “all out.”
Stay Relaxed and Efficient
Tension kills efficiency on hills. As you push slightly:
- Keep shoulders relaxed
- Let arms swing naturally to help drive rhythm
- Breathe deeply and steadily
- Avoid clenching fists or jaw
Controlled strength beats brute force every time.
🏃♀️ Train Hills to Race Hills
To make hills work for you on parkrun day:
- Include short hill efforts in training
- Add rolling terrain to easy runs
- Practise maintaining effort uphill, then relaxing immediately on the downhill
This teaches your body to recover quickly — a key skill on undulating courses.
🎯 Why This Makes You Faster Overall
Using hills as strength builders:
- Improves leg strength and power
- Enhances running economy
- Builds confidence on undulating courses
- Helps maintain pace on flats
- Makes late-race fatigue more manageable
Strong hills lead to strong finishes.
📢 Final Takeaway
Hills don’t have to slow you down — they can make you stronger. By pushing slightly on the ups, staying relaxed, and maintaining good form, you turn every incline into a strength-building opportunity. Embrace the hills, and they’ll reward you on parkrun day.