This picture under from Run100s.com (which we expect first appeared within the November 1988 challenge of “UltraRunning Journal”) is one in all my favorites as a result of it demonstrates the ruggedness of a number of well-known North American 100-mile occasions as they existed on the time.
Every race has its personal distinctive profile, however all of them share a typical theme: difficult topography. Although every race has quite a few ascents, success will in the end come to the very best downhillers.
Let’s face it. Most ultrarunners settle for the observe of mountain climbing uphill; nevertheless, strolling the downs isn’t a typical or typically really useful technique. Downhill operating is an eccentric-loading exercise the place the muscle is severely harassed throughout use as a result of forces of deceleration, or braking, and influence absorption.
Trashed quadriceps result in many extremely DNFs as a result of the inevitable shuffling turns into too painful, frustration units in, and cutoff occasions can’t be met. So as to reduce this harm, we now have to harden our legs and low backs for all course-specific descents previous to race day. Robust extremely finishes hinge on our capability to maneuver effectively on all downhill slopes in order that we make good time and, most significantly, get pleasure from our race expertise.
Diederick Calkoen racing downhill on the Ring of Steall in 2018. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Coaching for the Downhills, No Matter The place You Reside
Perfect coaching grounds aren’t all the time straightforward to return by. Nearly all of the operating inhabitants lives removed from the mountains, or climate situations (like mountain trails made inaccessible by snow and ice) might inhibit entry for a lot of the coaching cycle.
How, then, can we put together for giant drops in elevation when satisfactory downhill operating isn’t out there? Listed here are three options, organized in response to desire, that mitigate this downside.
Specificity Guidelines
This isn’t a brand new idea. Everyone knows that coaching repeatedly on the very hills you’ll see on race day is the easiest way to organize. In case your race venue isn’t inside affordable distance of your property, make it some extent to attend coaching camps provided on the course or maintain your individual. The extra time you spend on the course, the extra ready you’ll be for these descents and all the pieces else come race day.
Observe, added weight hastens quad harm. Put on all race-day gear in coaching so your legs are used to the extra load.
Make Mountains Out of Molehills
If touring to the course prematurely isn’t possible, make use of your speedy environment. Discover your native parks and open areas. Discover trails which have the longest, steepest descents. If the downhill segments are quick, do repeats. If these don’t exist, be artistic.
Enterprise off the crushed path to river and stream banks or to utility right-of-ways to find slopes that is likely to be simply what you want. Ask different runners in your space the place they do their hill coaching. Irrespective of the place you do it, each little bit of downhill operating logged earlier than your occasion is advantageous.
Use What’s Obtainable
They aren’t supreme, however man-made buildings and machines make affordable substitutions for prepping the legs for powerful descents as a result of they supply optimistic beneficial properties in decrease physique endurance and energy.
- Treadmills – Many trendy treadmills decline three-to-six %. Sustained, regular operating at these slopes will toughen the quads.
- Bridges and parking garages – As a result of these buildings aren’t very excessive or steady, you’ll have to carry out a number of repeats with a view to create a helpful coaching stimulus.
- Stadiums and buildings – Most exercises deal with operating up steps, however operating down stairs will eccentrically load the quads in addition to construct power and management within the hips. Stadium steps are the very best as they’re wider and permit for a extra pure operating gait. If you happen to run down flights of stairs in a constructing, use the elevator to return to the highest to restrict restoration time and accumulate extra downhill time in succession.
- Biking – Using a bicycle or stationary mannequin builds cardio capability and will increase quad power. Bike uphill or at excessive resistances to maximise leg improvement.
Courtney Dauwalter operating downhill throughout the 2021 Hardrock 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Different Methods to Prepare for the Downhills
Coaching for downhill operating doesn’t cease right here. So as to optimize efficiency over the descents and stay harm free, each runner ought to incorporate the next coaching modalities:
Power Work
“Efficient downhill operating requires superior power of the posterior chain (muscle groups of the bottom of the physique) and correct femoral management (the alignment of the femur within the hip),” says Dr. A.J. Gregg, a Licensed Power and Conditioning Specialist at HYPO2 Excessive Efficiency Sports activities Middle in Flagstaff, Arizona. “Operating alone doesn’t do the very best job at creating these qualities. Ancillary muscle activation and strengthening is more practical.”
Gregg encourages each runner, at a minimal, to have a primary prehab program that they carry out frequently that focuses on robust glutes, calves, adductors, hamstrings, core, and stability. “For a newbie, coach Jay Johnson’s Pedestal and Myrtl routines are wonderful locations to begin. The ultrarunner ought to grasp all of those actions.”
When you’ve established your power via the prehab workout routines, you’ll be able to progress to extra sophisticated downhill-specific strengthening actions. Dr. Gregg suggests the next 5 key workout routines:
Uphill Exercises
The main target of this piece is on rising our downhill proficiency, nevertheless, we can not overlook the significance of uphill operating. Charging up a slope is a concentric motion — a deliberate and managed motion using the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quads, that are all of the posterior chain muscle groups we mentioned above. You might be primarily doing a whole lot of one-legged squats as you ascend.
Any quick hill dash or lengthy ascent exercise develops energy and endurance, two mandatory attributes when descending tough slopes.
A bunch of runners descending outdoors Durango, Colorado. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Correct Downhill Operating Type
There’s a sure finesse wanted for downhill operating. We aren’t 10 years outdated anymore, however we will definitely be taught one thing by watching children at play.
There’s a appropriate and incorrect solution to descend. Do it improperly and also you’ll waste valuable power and turn into liable to knee, shin, again, hip, and ankle accidents. The steepness or size of slope is irrelevant; correct downhill operating type stays the identical. Within the late levels of an occasion, focus in your method as fatigue will additional problem your stability and coordination.
Listed here are some easy pointers to bear in mind:
- Keep calm – Don’t pressure your stride. Maintain your core tight, however legs, glutes, shoulders, and arms relaxed. Work throughout the parameters of your individual vary of movement and let gravity do the majority of the work.
- Stay perpendicular to your operating floor – Carry your knees up and down, not ahead and out. Use your arms as stability because the slope will increase.
- Don’t overstride – It will trigger braking, slowing your progress and inserting undo stress on the knees and again.
- Maintain your ft underneath your torso – Dr. Gregg suggests that you just, “Visualize your ft touchdown behind you. That is unattainable to do, nevertheless it’ll enable you to get your foot strike nearer to your heart of mass.”
- Enhance your cadence – Think about taking gentle, fast steps. Because the slope will increase, you’ll want to take care of a forefoot touchdown.
- Observe your self – Have a good friend take a video of you each from time to time so that you’ll know what to vary or enhance.
Sharpening downhill operating abilities takes endurance and diligence. You’ve now acquired the instruments that will help you unlock your potential.
Don’t accept being a downhill survivor. As a substitute, institute these practices instantly and aggressively deal with the descents of your subsequent extremely with the arrogance of a downhill professional.
Name for Feedback
- Have downhills been your downfall? If that’s the case, and after studying this text, what component(s) of downhilling method and required power are you missing?
- Do you’re employed in your downhill method? Whereas Ian provides nice recommendation on easy methods to prepare your downhill operating and strengthen the muscle groups required for it, do you’ve got further concepts which have beforehand labored for you?
[Editor’s Note: As one of iRunFar’s best training articles, we’ve worked with author Ian Torrence to update this article before resharing it.]
Runners descending late throughout the mountainous UTMB. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
