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Hilly races
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I wanted to find out if it just me who won't do hilly races...I just don't see the point in them. Why do a race in which the terrain will limit your speed when you can do a flat race in which you can go at 'full speed' all the way round.
I do hilly runs in training and they are usually nice in terms of scenery but for a race, I want the best time I can over that distance.
Thoughts...?
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yeah I totaly agree
People wont appreciate a hiily marathon that takes 5 hour when a flat maraton may only take you 4 hours.. I only do hilly marathons/races so when I do flat road races my times are loads better
But I must admit I do preffer flat races as I tend only to train on the flat
Dean, often hilly races can be fast, you do have downhill after all.
PB chasing is a good reason for racing but definitely not the only one. The most scenic races I've done have been hilly off-road ones, I'm relatively good on hills and hilly courses provide more variety. My most satisfying race performace was probably coming 2nd in the Beachy Head Marathon and they weren't even giving away prizes so you can't accuse me of pot-hunting.
Oh dear - why bother with open water swimming when you can go so much faster in a pool? Why bother road cycling when you can notch up so much more on a static bike! Why bother mountain climbing when you can....
Why bother answering this question if the answer is obvious?
really enjoy all races,
but scenicly beautiful is Great Langdale HM course, in Cumbria, we wont be around In September for the actual race - But we will go around on our own in August for a training run,
and we will go around the Derwent -Butteremere 21 miles - undulating in many parts and with 2 killers hills on route tough going up and down,
I see your point but a race is a one off, the course is the same for everyone, and while a pb is always welcome, my objective is to finish as far up the field as possible in that race on that day.
Dean, the reason for racing is different from runner to runner. You might also ask why bother doing a marathon when you can just do a 5k, or why bother travelling 30mins + to a race when you can do the same distance locally.
Ever heard the phrase variety is the spice of life?
Having said that, outside of cross country season, I like to pick road races that are flat as can be, to cynically seek out some pbs
Cross country races are a case in point. Times are irrelevant. Over the course of a Winter season my aim is to finish further up the field each race.
Now this I have to agree with, the fastest I've ever run was on the downhill section of arace, the good thing was it wasdown hill all the way to the finish so I looked strong at the end much as I was dead beat.
9damn space bar is sticking.)
I like both - I find totally flat races are a bit dull. I live in a fairly hilly area, so get lots of practice.
It is VERY satisfying to pass people on the hills
I hate running on the flat. You get to your race / training pace and then just suffer at the same level for the next 20kms or whatever.
With a really good hilly run you can suffer a lot on the way up but the end is in sight. Then you can get your breath back a bit on the way down before charging up the next one.
As has been mentioned before, in hill races you can tell the people who have mostly trained on the flat - really suffering and people walking....
But it's mostly psychological - I'm not scared of hills and I know I'll get to the top. They really help to break the race up into sections for me, so all in all I think I suffer less than when I just get to a high HR and stay there.
Plus, if it's PBs you're after, you can always PB on the same course the next year.
Hills are your friends!
(And they help to stop your buttocks from drooping...
)
That's a typical road fairies statement though isn't it... "hilly race - why bother"...
You'd never hear a fell runner say that!
Each to their own.
I dont race very often so I go for as good a time as I can get. When I was running a lot, I only targeted 1 or 2 marathons in a year (not that I've done lots) and those would be flat. As I return to fitness, I'll still be looking for a flat one as I'm still chasing a time. Maybe when I achieve that, I'll vary my race profile.
But we all do it for different reasons.
Keswick Half, Langdale Half - bloody spectacular races. Well worth doing at any time.
Four Villages - hilly but with a 2 mile descent to the finish line - wheee !
If you only chase PB's - I'd think your options and career would be limited ?
I run down them but don't charge down them. However, I generally make up for my downhill shortfalls by being a total beast on the uphills.
We would be swapping positions as we made our way around a hillly course Azacaya.
I agree Cougie that hilly races and training in prep for flat races are essential. And I think in distance you do want a little bit of variety, a few inclines just to mix it up a little for your legs. I found things started to ache much earlier than I thought they would when I did Rotterdam and I put that down to it being as flat as a very flat thing apart from the bridge close to the start and an underpass later on. I don't think it's entirely a coincidence that the injury that has plagued me for a couple of years happened doing a 20 miler on a treadmill. No variety for 3 hours, apart from a loo stop.
Interesting point Phil. I'm happy to know that a PB isn't on but would find the pressure of Beachy too much. I just know I would dread it. Maybe I'd be pleased to get around it despite the dread so might try it one day.
I think it's because your treating it as a time-trial rather than a race. If it's a race, then time, distance, and hillyness are irrelevent, it's your finishing position. Just because you can go faster on a flat course, doesn't mean you are beating any more people
Excellent point!
I love hills too, and mud and streams and all that paraphernalia. Like some of you I've found a dead flat course can result in slower times, a) because I seem to think 'yay, flatter so I can go faster' and end up starting too fast, and b) because it's SO SO DULL, I just concentrate too much on things like leg speed, checking watch etc and it ends up slowing me down.
Each to their own of course...
My ideal PB course is a circular route (not out & back) with a couple of ups & downs along the way - pref a down somewhere near the finish
I've raced a few hilly cross countries like this. Someone monsters past me on the downhill...seemingly unaware that a massive hill is coming, and then I overtake them as they embarrasingly dribble up the hill at a pace a 70year old ex marathoner would be unsatisfied with.
Then,..of course, come the next downhill they smash back down!
This is why my favourtie finish in an xc race is one that has a 300metre hilly bank to climb! Normally i can steal a few positions at the death!
It's worth the pain of climbing up a hill..... so you can take the descent like a lunatic. Love that feeling. Until I face-plant....
Agree with Stevie G... making yourself a decent uphiller runner is a big psychological plus in racing. Passing people as they wheeze uphill gives a huge boost.
I'm always swapping places with runners on hilly races. I'm not the best downhill runner but considering I'm a bit of a lump, I'm pretty good going up. Good lungs, I think.
because flat races are usually boring races................
it great to have a variety.......and to experience different things....................bit like sex................just because you are faster/better in one position...........doesn't mean that you only stick to that one