Hill Training - Day One -

I have been looking at my training outline and dreading the day that I started hill training.  Basically you pick a hill you can run up for approximately 400m and do exactly that.  Run up.  Run down.  Run at the bottom of the hill for a minute to catch your breath and do it all over again.  Tonight was three times up and down the hill. 

According to curriculum notes on the Running Room layout "Hills are a wonderful way to add some resistance to your training.  When you overcome resistance to your training, your muscles get stronger and the intensity of your training increases.  Runners have used hills for decades as a way to increase endurance, strength, and speed."

I don't know what got into me but I found myself having to hold back from all out sprinting up the hill.  It was challenging, and instantly rewarding.  How amazing did it feel to get to the top, turn around and look at what I had conquered.  I was grinning during the last hill and laughing quietly to myself at how much fun I was having.  

Call me crazy...hill training is my new friend.  I can't wait until next Wednesday to add one more trip up and down.  Who knew?