Has anyone done C25K entirely UPHILL???

[weighty80]

I'm only on wk5, so shouldn't get too far ahead of myself, but...

I live at the bottom of a hill and worked out the route on Garmin Connect - it's about 4.9K to the summit, with a height gain of almost 400m (1300ft).... and relentlessly uphill!

I've thought about starting C25K again when I graduate, but taking this route instead (perhaps skipping a week or two, depending). There is a local hill running group but I'd be too embarrassed to go along before I can at least run the local hill!

Should I continue a few months of flat 5K+ first? Do the Stamina program? Or just go for it?

Has anyone done similar?

[alliesp]

Wow. You will be so fit. You have a few weeks to decide, I would try It and see how I get on. I would do w1 r1 if that was ok on the next run do w2 r1 . Good luck with the rest of the weeks and very good luck with the hill.

[weighty80 Graduate]

Thanks.

Good idea - "suck it and see"...

I think I'm getting *way* too excited about training to do an uphill 5K - I am *so* far from appreciating the reality of trying to do anything like that... barely even halfway through the regular C25K!!

But it does sound kinda fun to me... :/

[lizziebeth57 Graduate]

Short answer is NOT ME - I struggle enough with the flat.

However it sounds like you are up for it and it would definitely be great for your stamina. I imagine it would make sense to tackle the challenge in a similar way to the c25k. Running and walking. Good luck when you decide to have a go!

[swanscot Graduate]

I'd do the uphill run once a week .Many training plans include either speed intervals or hill running, but as these are both tough workouts, only advise you do one or other, once a week.

My local off-road run goes uphill into the forest, but 'only' 200m continuous climbing - and that's hard.

connect.garmin.com/activity...

In fact on my last outing I had to resort to 2 x 30 seconds walking breaks. (plus one stop to climb over a fallen tree),

[runningnotwalking Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Impressive. I think you are allowed to stop when there's a tree in the way !

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Good pace! That's precisely the sort of thing I'm wanting to do. Keeping on doing the regular runs and having at a hill run once a week sounds about right - I'd miss longer runs if I was trying to just C25K uphill 3 times a week!

[runningnotwalking Graduate]

I would concentrate on graduating so you have that completed, especially as you have a few weeks to go.

When you have then perhaps you can run part of the hill as a mixed hill-climb and interval session, running further each week until you complete the whole hill. I'd mix this with other runs though as part of your weekly routine.

Good luck.

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to runningnotwalking]

Good advice - especially getting through my C25K first! W5D2 tomorrow. Got my Garmin watch in the post today, so it's going to be an open woodland run tomorrow to try out the toy - no slacking on the treadmill for me!

[running_joke Graduate]

If the route to the summit is 4.9km, surely you only need to run half way up the hill (ie 2½ km) and then down again to make a total circuit of 5km. So you’ll only be doing half of it uphill and the other half downhill. (hmm, wonder which half you’ll do quicker?) As alliesp has said, you’ll be super fit!

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to running_joke]

Alas - the challenge which presents itself to me is quite clearly to summit! If I ever make it, I'll happily roll back down.

[misswobble Graduate in reply to weighty80]

A word of caution about hills. I've hurt myself through trying to run up a very short steep slope. I injured my ankle and have been out for three weeks! I should have walked up it. I could kick myself. Too much too soon is a bad idea.

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Boo! Sorry to hear that. Injury is my biggest fear at the moment, 'cause I'm loving C25K so much!!

Sage advice though... the run I'm looking at is pretty uniformly 1:12, so not too steep. I think I'll do once a week, and start with C25K wk1d1, with a sound warm up beforehand.

[misswobble Graduate in reply to weighty80]

You can zig zag across the slope, I think they call it "chopping" . It does make it easier

[P1glet1 Graduate]

One of my run routes includes 2 steep but not very long hills, 0.5km each. It is great for building strength and stamina BUT you will feel like it's a major plod up them...more a bounce from foot to foot than a jog. I think it's a great goal but would suggest building strength and endurance before aiming for the summit.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I have just got back from my weekly hill run and I swear by it for building stamina. Once you have graduated, why not try running_joke's idea, but go a bit further up the hill each time, thereby increasing duration and distance gradually (10% per week is recommended) until you can run to the summit. The endorphin release will get you back down no trouble, although be careful about striding out on steep downhills, it can easily cause injury. The secret of maintaining your running post graduation is, in my opinion, to keep setting yourself realistically attainable targets, both short and long term.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

I've got a special route which incorporates a long uphill section and then a short very steep .3K to finish me off. I tackled the lower section in stages. Ran up to 2 lampposts, down for 1 (recovery), up for 2, down for 1, until I got to the top, I then increased the lampposts until I could do it in a oner. It took me a while to conquer Jacobs Ladder (the top section) but by the end of last summer I was actually running up it quite quickly and not killing myself. When I first started running I avoided 'Ups' like the plague. Build up gradually, you will get there and be a strong runner for all your hard work.