Aging Well

Why run hills? They can be so grueling, and for some the feeling of going slowly upwards is counterintuitive to the notion of “run like the wind!” Well, there are a few excellent reasons to sprinkle in hill repeats into your training regimen.

More calories burned than on flat ground

According to runnersgetup.com hill running burns 3-5 extra calories per minute depending on the incline. On top of that, the extra force needed to traverse those slopes helps build muscle. In fact, I’ve noticed significant hypertrophy in my legs since I’ve made it a rule to include hill repeats of some form into my weekly hard workouts. Full disclosure: an increase in daily protein intake might be a coupling factor here.

VO2 max: a key longevity metric

VO₂ max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during physical exertion. According to Marathon Handbook, running at a fast pace on an ever increasing incline is one of the best ways to progressively increase heart rate in order to measure VO₂ max in a lab setting. Furthermore, longevity guru Peter Attia swears by VO₂ max and muscle mass as two of his key physical longevity markers. In short, hill repeats are a good way to feel the best kind of hurt.

Lower impact means less injury

Hill running is an incredible way to enhance your running experience. It offers a unique challenge that can greatly benefit your overall performance and well-being. Not only does it provide a lower impact on your body, reducing the risk of injuries, but it also serves as a valuable form of strength training. By incorporating hill running into your routine, you’ll be able to increase your muscle’s ability to generate force and power, leading to improved efficiency in your stride. Additionally, don’t underestimate the power of walking uphill. Many centenarians in the beautiful Blue Zone of Sardinia credit their longevity and vitality to the simple act of walking their neighborhood hills. Embrace the joy of hill running and walking, as hills can significantly contribute to a strong, vibrant, and active life at any age.

Mental toughness

Not all things related to training are purely physiological or scientific. Training is an artform which requires psychological training, as well. Imagination, willpower, drive, and imagery/visualization all play parts in athletic performance; therefore, immeasurable units like emotions and metaphors are in play as factors for improved training and results. Hill repeats are for many a discipline that is as much about increasing VO2 max as it is about improving mental toughness and conquering fears and other mental weaknesses. After all, a mountain is a mountain and a man is a man. What man has the hubris to believe that he can defeat the pinnacle of geological power? A champion, that’s who. I myself run dark forested hills in winter where it feels like the only things that exist in the universe are me, the mountain, and my leaden breath on the cold 5am air. The completion of that sort of trial has me feeling jazzed to the nines.

The cool factor

There are so many stories of stoic or zen-like people around the world who seem to have mastered the art of life thanks to, in part, hill running. These might not necessarily always be people trying to boost their VO2 max, but they have found important secrets at elevation nonetheless. Doing hard things may lead to wisdom, it would seem. One such badass is Japanese monk Ryojun Shionuma who hiked a mountain for 1,000 days straight. Similarly, the marathon monks of Mt. Hiei cover 52.5 miles per day for 100 days straight. Another is George Etzweiler who was running Mt. Washington every year at the ripe old age of 99! Was there every a better story for link between hill running and longevity?

So inspiring is the act of conquering cliffs that some of humanities greatest poets have immortalized these workouts in the annals of literature. Take “The Mountain Sat Upon the Plain” by Emily Dickinson where she equates the mount to an overseeing elder, one with power and wisdom over his “children”:

The Mountain sat upon the Plain
In his tremendous Chair—
His observation omnifold,
His inquest, everywhere—

The Seasons played around his knees
Like Children round a sire—
Grandfather of the Days is He
Of Dawn, the Ancestor—

Are you going to let old man mountain tell you what to do?

An then there is D.H. Lawrence who strikes a chord with runners the world abound when he writes of a mountain’s painful effect:

Against the hard and pale blue evening sky
The mountain’s new-dropped summer snow is clear
Glistening in steadfast stillness: like transcendent
Clean pain sending on us a chill down here …

Whether you are tackling those hills for a boost in fitness or morale (or some combo of the two), let these adorned words inspire your next hill repeat session, one step toward achieving your athletic goals.