Week 9 Fall 2023 RunWalk Newsletter
Cross Training & Hill Training
It’s week 9 which means it’s time for some hill training! Regardless of one’s fitness level, hills are always challenging, but with practice and training you get stronger and get up and over faster. Not only will some hill training build confidence for tackling the hills on your 10K event course, it is also an effective component to any fitness program.
Hill training combines aerobic and anaerobic work, and it is an excellent form of resistance training. Similar to weight training, the benefits include increased strength and endurance. Make sure you read the technique tips below on how to best tackle your uphills and also, very importantly, your downhills.
Now more than ever I want to encourage comradery which means showing up for each other (yes, even when it’s raining) and cheering each other on as you make your way up your hill!
Happy Running!
Janette Shearer
Online Communications Manager + InTraining Support
Going Up? Lean slightly into the hill while hinging at the waist.
•Keep the core, stomach and back strong.
•Be patient and focus only a few feet in front of you.
•Shorten the leg stride slightly with small, quick steps.
•The most common mistake people make is over-striding up a hill. Test this out yourself.
•Try one hill with small quick steps, and the next with a longer stride. Guaranteed you will discover your effort will be greater with the longer stride and you won’t need to do any more convincing.
•Land more on the balls of the feet and the second the foot touches the ground, be conscious of lifting the knees as quickly as possible.
•Continually pump your arms. As always, the arms dictate the pace.
Coming Down? Let gravity do the work, which means relaxing the arms and legs and allow the stride to lengthen comfortably.
• If the hill is very steep and you find yourself falling too quickly for yourself, then consciously “sit down” i.e. Slow yourself down by shortening the stride as you bend the knees and push your butt into a sitting position towards the ground.
• It’s important to note that running or walking downhill is much tougher on the body than travelling uphill. The impact is greater, and many people find it to be demanding on the knees. Be careful, and make sure you ease up if you are feeling some discomfort. We want to avoid sudden problems at this stage in the game!
UPCOMING EVENTS
“Injury Prevention”- November 6th In-Person at SMBC Office in North Vancouver Aaron Wallace (Athletic Therapist & Exercise Physiologist – Myodetox
“Track Performance with Technology You Already have & More.” – November 7th on Zoom
Hill Training in Burnaby at 7168 Ridgeview Dr, Burnaby – November 5th – CANCELLED
2023 Fall RunWalk Sports First Aid Course– Use code GYYAKJ85 at checkout to sign up for FREE registration. – November 12th
It wouldn’t be a RunWalk season if we didn’t share a video with the infamous Coach Lynn. For those of you who don’t know, Lynn Kanuka is an honorary Member of SportMedBC and Bronze Olympian and the OG SportMedBC RunWalk Coach! Enjoy this Bodycore workout!
Cross Training
For runners, strong leg muscles are key – but we also can’t forget about the muscles that control your hips, upper body, and core strength. Cross training helps your whole body work like a well-oiled machine, instead of over-stressing certain muscles and joints that are used constantly in running & walking. It can help you avoid burnout, reduce soreness, and give your lower-body joints a chance to recover between RunWalk sessions. Want to learn more? Click Here
Strength Training
One of the best moves for my own running journey was beginning a Strength Training program. The hard part can be figuring out how and/or where to start. Maybe people invest in a Personal Trainer but for me that wasn’t going to work with my busy schedule, so I opted for something with some flexibility like The Morgan Method by Kylie Morgan who is a local Clinical Exercise Physiologist that I follow on Instagram.
I swear without her program, I would have injured myself worse last year but thanks to the 6-month program, I was able to keep running though not the original distance I wanted. Send me an email if you’d like to hear more about that program as I might have a code for you.
Don’t have time for any of that?
Here are sine strength training guidelines to follow:
- Use resistance (dumbbells, body weight, bands, kettlebells, milk jugs etc) to create
muscular fatigue within a specified rep range - Those new to strength / weight training – start with 8-12 reps for most exercises.
- The goal is to fatigue within that range. If someone is lifting a weight and can complete
20+ reps easily, the weight is too light. If they can only lift it 5 times, it’s too heavy. The
sweet spot depends on the lifter! - Frequency – 2 to 3 sets per workout, and 2-3 workouts per week. Try to space out the
days with the running days.
Lower body:
- Squats / sumo squats
- Lunges / directional changes
- Clamshells
- Hip bridges / single leg hip bridge
- Core: Side plank / hip lifts
Upper body: Pushups/ Row
Download your weekly training program below.