Some race courses are so flat that bumps in the road are of no concern. Others (the Boston Marathon comes to mind) are legendary for their "heartbreaking" hills. The following tips, which are part of the Wharton Performance Model (see runnersworld.com/wpm for more), will help you climb any hill come race day.
>>Knowing what you're in for--becoming familiar with the course so that there are no surprises--will put your mind at ease, which will help you relax and perform better.
>>Before charging a hill, do a shoulders check. Are they creeping up to your ears? If so, roll them both forward then backward to relieve tension and keep them low and relaxed.
>>If you feel tightness in your quads, gently "kick" your leg back slightly farther than normal at the end of each stride while you are going up. Don't do this on a down slope.
>>When running downhill, instead of landing each stride on the heel, focus on the feeling of naturally gliding downhill--almost in a free fall--landing evenly across the midfoot.
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