Posted on March 18, 2015 by Jenny Cromack

If you want to improve your running times then you should be incorporating hill sprints into your training programme. Try incorporating this running hill sprints programme into your training on a weekly basis and see how your running speeds and race times improve.

Warm Up:

Begin your session with a thorough warm up. I like to do the following mobility exercises before I set off for a run:

* Straight Leg Swings

* Knee Lifts

* Adductor/Abductor Swings (leg swings across the body)

Followed by:

* 16 x Knees High

* 16 x Heels to the Bum

Then run 1 mile at an easy pace to the bottom of a hill (and I mean a hill, not a gentle slope!). By this point you should be thoroughly warmed up and ready to start your running hill sprints programme.

Hill Sprints:

You should aim to get to the same point at each sprint

Sprint as fast as you can uphill x 60 seconds. Jog back down, ideally take no longer than 90 seconds to jog back down. Repeat x 4 

Sprint as fast as you can uphill x 45 seconds. Jog back down, ideally take no longer than 70 seconds to jog back down. Repeat x 4 

Sprint as fast as you can uphill x 30 seconds. Jog back down, ideally take no longer than 45 seconds to jog back down. Repeat x 4 

Cool Down

Make sure you finish your hill sprints workout with a thorough cool down and a steady mile jog back.