All those hills

[BOBOZ]

I do often wonder how much my times would improve if I lived in an area that wasn't all hills.

I live in lovely part of Sydney but there are no flat stretches more than about 200 metres long. It's all up long slopes and down long slopes, with a few steep bits in between.

It's impossible to keep a constant pace for any time at all.

I'm sure running up and down hills is good for me but a nice, long flat course would make a real change.

Do many of you travel far to do your running or, like me, do it around my local area?

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

I live in a pretty hilly area, although I can source flatter routes if I travel a bit further. I have to say though, I don’t don’t find running on a solely flat route very easy. I was surprised when I did my first flat Parkrun - it was a very similar time to my regular undulating one! 🤷‍♀️

I guess you’re using all your muscles at different times on hilly runs, whereas it’s a repetitive motion on the flat. That’s my “scientific” theory anyway! 😅

[Bontobpat]

I am in North Queensland, I live on a hill. I was having injuries trying to run up and down the roads near my house so now I drive the 5minutes down to the flat esplanade and do my run there, not as challenging without hills but no injuries either.

[BOBOZ Graduate10 in reply to Bontobpat]

I live on the top of a hill and a short walk down brings me to a beach - but no esplanade there. The nearest would be a horrible drive through Sydney traffic.

[nowster Graduate10]

I live on the side of a big hill. There are no perfectly flat routes nearby. Even the local canal has regular locks on it. What I do instead is arrange things so that the start of a run is at the highest point on the route, then overall the run loses height, but does still have some uphill stretches in it.

[Lizcanrun Graduate10]

I do mine in my local area and it sounds like yours, so I've been running uphill from the start. I live at the top of a big hill and it has taken me ages to build up the confidence to go all the way down and get myself home again, but now that I've done it, it's great. I have a whole new world of possible routes to explore. I don't go up hills fast, but I've tackled some real corkers! I go really slow and must look like I'm about a hundred! I find now that I've tackled some biggies, the hills don't scare me anymore. Having said all this, when I did my 1st 10k I went down to the river!!! But I've done a hilly one since and generally don't travel to run. 🏞️

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate10]

I live in a hilly area and from the outset embraced them. I did drive to a canal to try a flatter route which was a nice change but I actually find flat routes boring now, especially on long runs so build in plenty of steep climbs for interest.

[a_in_gsr Graduate10]

I live in a completely flat area where the only hills are bridges across the river! I like the flatness for everyday runs, but sometimes like to challenge myself to a hilly area

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

Can’t help BOBOZ - I live in a flat city with a flat seafront without a hill in sight! Swap?