Friday 13 June 2008

The Goose* on the Hill

Posted by speedygeoff on Friday, June 13, 2008 with

Alan at Oakey Hill

How we trained: Colin, Mick H, Emma, Charlie, Bronwyn, Maria, David, Al, Jacqui, Tony, Andrea, Ruth, Jodie & I were at Dickson last night to run 3 x 1k on the grass, as hard as we could. And last week when I was away, there were Colin, Mick, Rachelle, Miranda, Jodie, Matt, Jacqui, Kally, Jeni & Bronwyn doing a similar session.

Some hill running instructions for the training group:
This coming Monday is our first up-hill speed session for the year. Because many of us are oldies, we should ensure we run up these hills with good form, else we risk injury. Rather than focusing on sheer speed, I would like us to develop a quick tempo with a short stride. Posture: a pulled-in tummy and flat back, running very tall, leaning slightly forward into the hill from the hips. Stride: short with quick steps. Relaxed, and after sufficient warm-up, lots of spring in the legs. I don't want to see anyone racing up the hill with a long stride. And none of that Lydiard-style bounding beloved by jumpers and sprinters, because we'll break.
Coming back down the hill, tall, relaxed, no forward lean (more upright) and a long stride is fine, letting gravity do the work.

*you know, like the Beatles' "Fool on the Hill"


Borrowed from Mike's Running With Lydiard blog: