OS Running--Hilly or Flat?
Hi All,
Would love some feedback on incorporating hills into the prescribed run sessions--esp. Wed and Sun. Personally, I think hill running is great--speedwork in disguise and all that. It can build strength, mental stamina, plus I like running uphill. 
In the last few OS plans, the Wed run indicated "hilly if possible." That directive is now ingrained in my brain. So since we started the OS, I've been doing most runs with the first 2 intervals on rolling terrain, and the last mile with as much uphill as possible. It "throws off" the pace on the uphill since I have to run more by PE than tryng to keep a strict Z4 V-dot. Worth it, right? But if I keep up this plan, I won't get much practice keeping the pace up on flat roads. Combine the two a little more, or would you keep opting for hills? What do you do?
TIA!
LP
Comments
Last year I did all the runs as prescribed. Intervals on flat courses etc. I felt my run and legs lacked stamina and strength come spring and this may have led to my injury at Oceanside running on the sand. So, long story short... This year I have returned to some hilly trail runs atleast 2-3 times a month. They work me and make my legs/ankles/feet strong. I will replace the Sun run with it here and there. Pace really goes out the window and I go on effort. Before EN I ran the trails and had some smoking fast races.
The coaches may have a technical answer but for me I do best with some power in my legs.
Carrie
Personally, in the OS I opt for the flats. The run is mentally the hardest for me...so part of getting that confidence is seeing the numbers (largely because I've never seen them before
).
That being said...once the OS is done I head back to the hills and attack the workouts like I would on the bike. Steady, solid effort up and hold the hammer all the way down so that I'm well above the target pace. Full effort up and down usually gets me pretty close to the avg pace I'm looking for (barring some crazy hill).
I think the key is staying constant through the OS. If it's hills, stay there. If it's flats, stay there. You know what z4 feels like. The rest will work itself out.
Hills? What are these things you speak of????
Work is work. 7 min miles on flats or 8:15s up hill is the same to me.
That said, me likey hills. So I do intervals on flats then run on hills at the end of the run (to really bring the pain). But if you respond to hills and love hills and watch The Hills...get your hill on.
P