Running hills outdoors in Germany is hard. At least for me because the slope grades can quickly go from 1% to 25%. The best way to prepare for trail hills is to train on the treadmill. Here is what I do to prepare to for outdoor hills:

• Start the treadmill at 0% incline and easy run. Easy is different for everyone, for me, it’s at speed 5. Hold this speed for 2 minutes.
• Bring incline to 1% at an easy speed for 1 minute.
• Increase incline to 2% at an easy speed for 1 minute.
• Decrease 1% each minute until you are back on a flat road. (2 minutes of work)
• Now easy should feel a little too easy after the incline, so increase your speed to a little more effort. (I go up only to 6) Maintain this for 2 minutes.
• Increase to 2% incline and maintain for 2 minutes. For every 2 minutes increase the incline by 2% until you are at 6%. (6 minutes total)
• Now let’s bring it back down… 2% every 2 minutes. (6 minutes total). It will feel easier as your incline declines.
• You’re done. The whole thing should only take 20 minutes.

The more time you complete this hill workout the easier it will get.

The Buzzed Badger

High on Life. Dedicated to Fitness. Obsessed with Health.