The THRILL of the HILL

Austin, TX is an amazing place to live and exercise. We are soooo lucky that everything here is either uphill or downhill!! I hear it all the time, How do you run those hills with a smile on your face. First of all it isn't a smile, but a grimace!!! Hills are like anything else in life, the more time you spend on them, the better you get. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! So when I tell people that I ran up Ladera Norte twice yesterday, they look at me like I'm INSANE!! There is an art to ascending and descending those Austin hills. One effective trick is to train on them regardless of what mode of exercise you choose. Hill repeats or intervals are another great trick. This will improve your form and mental toughness as well. Practice on the downhills as well. Good controlled form and body positioning can reduce the risk of injury. Body weight is a huge factor. It is no fun to pack those extra pounds up the hill, then have that extra weight pounding on your bones, tendons, and joints coming downhill. Spend time in the gym with resistance training for those legs. A strong core is a big help as well. Last but not least, Flexibility!! Stretching on a daily basis will be huge positive. So what are you waiting for? Get out and embrace those hills!! CHEERS, TRAINER TODD