Running Down Hill
I hate to run down hill… it sucks. I try to avoid it as much as possible… well, except for the fact that I live at the top of a hill, and always start most of my runs by running down the hill to the nice flat trail. But I hate it… and I probably have the worlds worst downhill running technique.
In November I plan to race the Sliverman Iron Distance race. It should be fun, my third Iron distance triathlon. It should be… wait a second… did I mention I’m completely under trained? Did I mention that the Silverman course is probably the toughest course in all Ironman courses? 10,000 ft of climbing on the bike… no big deal.. but the worst part, for me, is 1,600 feet of climbing on the run course… and oh yeah… that also means 1,600 feet of DOWN HILL also.
If I’m going to survive this run, I need to get comfortable… or at least… more comfortable with running down hill.
I quick Google Search on running down hill reveals a couple of suggestions. Things I’ve heard in the past. Now I need to practice actually doing these things.
- Practice Makes Perfect - There is no substitute for practice when it comes to teaching your body how to perform a particular task. Especially when that task is as specialized as running down hill. So… I need to practice. I’ve already spotted a couple of hills that I think would be good tough places to practice these techniques. I’m going to look for some hills that are as close to the same grade/distance as the hills on the course.
- Shorten your Stride - Why? Well, I have to admit, I’m not sure why this is so important. Some advice just says “cause it’s easier on your body”… ok, but why is it easier? I do recall my PT making this suggestion, and his explanation related to the general risks of over striding. I already have a problem with over striding, and so this is a chance for me to either do some real damage to myself, or run safely.
- Run with higher cadence - This is certainly related to shorter strides. If you run with a higher cadence (how many steps you take per minute) then you will naturally have shorter steps. One site I found recommends 100 steps per foot per minute. Wow! That’s a lot. My normal cadence is around 90 per foot per minute…
- Let Gravity Work For You - I wonder what this really means. Of course, it sounds nice, let gravity do the work. I mean, sure, I don’t want to do the work… I’ll let gravity do it for me? More specific advice seems to be, don’t fight gravity, don’t “put the brakes on”, as that will just make it harder on you. Now, I know for a fact that when I’m running down my street, I am often putting the brakes on… but for goodness sake… I don’t want to trip and crash and tumble down the street into traffic? So, I guess this is just one of those “practice and get used to the feeling of gravity pulling you down the street”. Hmmm….
- The Don’ts: Don’t slouch, don’t shuffle, don’t swing your arm - Other then just being good running form advice, I’m not sure that these related to down hill running. I guess the key is, run with good form.
- Run Perpendicular to the Road - Ahh… well, now this is the key… The idea is, run as if you were on a flat surface. Ok, easier said then done. But this means, fight the urge to lean back (guilty!) I think the key to being successful at this is to practice so that you get used to the feeling.
I found a couple of great narratives in the “ultra running” circles where they discuss this topic at length. My friend Michelle (ultrarunning queen) always talks about doing the hills in ultra running… walk up and down… hmm. That doesn’t seem like a reasonable option on a race course that is all hills. It makes sense that ultraruns, which are usually on trails, out in the woods and hills, would involve a lot of climbing and descending… so I guess they know what they’re talking about.
One of the take aways from these ultra running narratives is that you need to train your “brain” to properly navigate the hill, and let gravity do the work. If I try to dissect that, I come down to the idea that your brain’s natural behavior when running down hill is to be fearful and therefor it tells you to brake and slow down. But if you can train your brain instead to focus on your foot placement to avoid hazards and land in a manner that will be safe for you muscles and connective tissues then you can let gravity do the “work” while you focus your efforts on keeping your brain in check doing the right thing.
Sounds like I need to practice!
Filed under: Ironman, Run, Run Training Techniques, Running Down Hill, triathlon |
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4 Comments: :
Running Down Hill
August 17th, 2008 3:12 pm
xr4000 says:
nice post brad
as you know i am doing the silverman as well. downhill runs have never been a problem for me(i live in utah so its all hills) but after reading your post i think i need to start adjusting my style. i am way under trained as well but i am starting to pull out the stops. good luck and ill see you there!
August 18th, 2008 8:00 am
Michelle Halsne says:
Great post, especially because you give me a plug. Once I am up and running we can go do some downhill drills and have some fun together while practicing mad technique.
August 18th, 2008 9:23 pm
tje210 says:
letting gravity do the work for you is what i was talking about when i said to step forward rather than down. you get some MAD crazy speed. this one 10K, i was leading a guy who was probably 50 yards behind me. he said i opened up the lead to about 200 yards on this steep downhill just from my technique. best part is that i was working at normal 5:50 pace, while getting 4:15 results. no pain. no extra exertion. same principle goes for a marathon . . . then, the pain becomes mental. it’s all a matter of form and making your body run downhill the proper way.
August 18th, 2008 9:25 pm
tje210 says:
oh yeah, and relax. sometimes, when i’m running a steep downhill, i’m so chilled out that my legs dislocate slightly from my hips cuz i’m so relaxed. i recommend not landing with the ball out of the socket.