Can You Do Easy Runs on Hilly Terrain?

[@AncoraImparoPiper]

Yes, absolutely. I live in a hilly town. Hills are simply difficult to avoid. I just run up slower to make sure that it feels easy. If I look at the pace later, well, it will be a lower pace for sure. I enjoy hills.

[@jpod]

Enjoyed this vid, appreciate the reminder that easy is an effort not a pace... One way I keep my easy days easy is to monitor my heart rate

[@metaphoricdirigible1499]

Easy runs are ironically the hardest. It is difficult to control the drive to push yourself harder.

[@chrismccoy4146]

I do what I call “no deep breath’s pace”.So basically if I have to take a deep breath I slow down to an effort that I can breathe normally at.Similar to conversation pace

[@StrengthRunning]

Smart! This is a good check to see what your perceived effort is like.

[@Kelly_Ben]

You have such a clear simple way of explaining things, I always come away from your videos with a new understanding of running. Personally, I struggle with 'easy' because I'm always trying to dabble with MAF... so even though I'm in the groove, breathing only through my nose, relaxed and happy... my heart rate shows zone 3. Then I beat myself up asking if I am actually running easy or ruining all of my easy runs.

[@dorethornton1249]

Very helpful video. I am curious where this video was filmed. It's absolutely beautiful.

[@freerangerowlands]

This is so so helpful! Thank you!

[@francislagace1743]

I don't know if I make this up, but I've seen many videos of you Jason, and you seemed in a pretty good/funny mood for this one ;) Keep up the good job!

[@StrengthRunning]

I'm a human being and my mood does change a bit from day to day ;)

[@ellajo1209]

I have recently implemented 'easy runs' to work on my breath. I often start out too fast and that affects my breathing during the run. Working on my breathing allows me to relax into my run without feeling completely fatigued. When I’m relaxed and my body is getting the oxygen it needs I am able work on the effort and that helps with my pace. I use hills to help increase my stamina and fitness levels.

[@rochellemckerrell7764]

Love this. Thank you. Ive only just started running trails and its nothing like the road and i needed just a couple of tips. Going to head out now with the tips you gave me!

[@aidanoc19]

Coincidentally I was thinking of whether I should run flat or more rolling today. Good advice, I grew up in Dublin, Ireland where there where plenty of hills and would only consider doing repeats of hitting the 100m+ high hills as 'hilly' runs. I've a bit more choice where I live now but less adapted to the hills!

[@bryanunderwood7586]

I just moved to a hilly town here in Malaysia, and I try not to run the hillier parts of the neighborhood, but it's almost impossible not to run uphill at some point. I run my easy runs with a less "upbeat" playlist on Spotify, I wear shoes that are daily trainers (no carbon plates or tempo shoes), and I tend to sing more with my music. Also, there are a lot of stray dogs in Malaysia, so I tend not to run in neighborhoods that I know I will be sprinting from stray dogs.

[@jefejeffwell1113]

I live in a hilly area, so to keep a better eye on HR, I set an alarm to go off 2-3 beats before my max easy HR. Definitely helped me.

[@PrinceThe8th]

Great video. I’ve been asking myself this for a while.

[@kimberlymorris5934]

I finally understand the meaning of an easy run! Thank you!

[@raymondmorrow7926]

I picked up a bad neck injury last year after a race with a huge steep hill. I tried to use the downhill side to try to catch the runner ahead of me by sprinting. I messed up the vertibrae in my neck so this is good advice.

[@TheSandkastenverbot]

My neck also recently hurt on a downhill trail. The reason was actually doing an exercise with a bad neck position beforehand. Any tips on rehab and prehab?

[@raymondmorrow7926]

Chiropractor and physio for me

[@treymccain8164]

I ran for Mars Hill University, near Asheville, NC. Can't go a mile without running up a hill.

[@-esox-3714]

I´m almost only having hilly terrain around me. It´s just important to focus on slowing down uphill - if you want to stay below a certain heart rate or eg. in zone2. You can drift up in intensity/ heart rate very fast, as you don´t really "feel it", because the overall effort/pace is so slow. About the downhills ofc - always hard to hold oneself back, when it´s a nice trail :c

[@bboy6surme]

Thank you for the sheet and the video helpfull as usuall!

[@kartikiyer747]

I normally run based on my heart rate. So whenever I’m running up an incline, I give myself 10beats per min extra over my set threshold. If my HR goes beyond that, I slow down to a walk.

[@wanokmorrisson3513]

Very clear message

[@eriktred]

Great and clear message.

[@ryanrayner8143]

Thank you

[@parsibava]

That pen drop moment though 😅

[@DWNY358]

I find it hard to run easy when by myself. I need to run with a group to run easy (lots of conversation) just like I need a group for speed workouts.

[@DroneRunner1975]

I notice the weather effects my pace for easy runs, example- lovely calm fair to warm weather running can be enjoyed and so time is taken to soak it all up, awful English weather... I just feel like I want to get it done so seem to run a little quicker than I had intended.

[@Southwesterner1986]

Same. I live in Cornwall & in the last week in sepererate sessions i've run in torrential rain, near freezing temps in the early morning, 90% humidity & today in pleasant sunshine.

[@nikitaw1982]

This is my area all hills and valleys. Tempted to just walk hills run flat and down hill

[@rasher331]

I happen to have no problem doing easy runs, its the fast running that I have a problem with.

[@harrylenton3166]

You mentioned running too slow on easy effort runs. Could you explain what the adverse effects of running easy to slow are? Perhaps a topic for a video?

[@StrengthRunning]

It's just inefficient. Take your normal easy pace and add 2-3 minutes, then try to run that pace. It will feel terrible!

[@harrylenton3166]

@@StrengthRunning thanks for the reply. I have and it was hard, felt like I was skipping, bouncing up and down , without a skipping rope. I was trying to stay within zone 2. Since I've realised how ridiculous it is so have switched my easy pace to perceived effort as you have advises!

[@BobBob-uv9fq]

Goddam it I just love my easy pace run ,on a sunny day ,listening to music ,how 😎 cool,then getting back and finding your time is actually pretty good

[@vincentcrowley5196]

My issue is my heart rate seems to shoot up even though I'm not trying to go faster on a reasonable paced run, I keep stopping to walk to get it down again.

[@Jermeister]

Never thought I'd see the day where I learn running advice from Johnny Sins

[@wunderlichdrive]

Great advice. Thanks. In my current training program (following Pete Pfitzinger's "Advanced Marathoning") there aren't any hills in the plan. But, I was wondering if hills could be an alternative to doing strength workouts that target leg strength (not core or upper body). If yes, then would that be in addition to my training program or as alternative to one of my other runs?

[@StrengthRunning]

We cover this in our strength course at strengthrunning.com/strength/

[@electricant55]

I've never run on a flat terrain. Even my local track is pretty sloped. Must be nice

[@sja45uk]

Anyone doing their easy runs at a MAF heart rate appreciates a gradual downhill as a means of running faster without spiking their hr.

[@javiersong]

I was wondering the same question today. I live in a hilly town and it’s hard for me to do my easy runs. Would a treadmill be ok?

[@StrengthRunning]

What do you think after watching the video? My goal is to give you the knowledge to make these decisions for yourself.

[@juliegray7658]

I run alone but check my effort by singing (not loud) keeps me in the easy zone.

[@Offlinekaran]

Sir thair is no hill near my house can I do on stairs

[@noahballard1469]

If you train on hills all the time it will make you more efficient over time it’s not going to hurt you.

[@davidkho744]

I usually call it an easy pace when I do not have the urge to use my inhaler

[@toddboucher3302]

For me I run in a barefoot shoe, a friend does opposite he runs in a heavy shoe

[@gull3986]

lots of conversation or some singing or whistling

[@evanmayosends5306]

Day 11 of reaching 100 subscribers off of commenting. Have an amazing day!