Did you find a new trail to run or hike forlast weeks challenge?
This week is another trail-compatible one, and I encourage you to find someplace fun to do it.
And go up it.
What makes a hill scary?
Sometimes, its steep.
Youre worried about losing steam before you get to the top.
If thats the case, readour guide to running hills without crushing your confidence.
Also, its okay to stop and walk.
How do you think ultra runners do those 100-mile trail mountainous trail runs?
Not by running every step, I can promise you that.
Sometimes what makes a hill scary is how long it is.
you might use the same strategies there, but pacing yourself becomes even more important.
And I still take walk breaks if I need them.
This is the challenge I tackled for myself this week.
I live in a hilly neighborhood and theres no way around it.
A couple strategies that helped:
Plan an out-and-back.
This way, every hill I run up, I know that Ill get to also run down.
Make the very first segment an uphill.
This means I get a downhill for the home stretch on my way back.
Keep a constant monologue in my mind, pretending Im running with an imaginary friend who hates hills.
It may be silly, but that last one kept me going on the most challenging parts.
This is the last uphill, I told him, but sometimes I was lying.
He was in awe of my ability to just keep chugging.
Whatever your fear of hills might be, Id like you to challenge it this week.
Give it a try and let us know how it goes.
