Run Like Monkey

I work in absolute flatland, and hill training is literally no where to be found nearby.  Its a 4 mile round trip just to arrive at a nearby park, where the very slight ups and downs can be measured in single digit steps.  I definitely need hill training for my race plans this year, so what’s my alternative?

flickr image credit: Zach K

I hit the parking garage!

I have done both stair reps and ramp reps, I think the ramp reps are here to stay.  The stairs have only a slight rise, so not a huge quad workout unless I go doubles, which is almost too much quad.  My real goal is to be training for walking hills during ultras and getting comfortable with the transition from walk to run and vice versa, so the ramps are actually a better fit.  I have to say though, this is boring.  I really have to remind myself why I’m doing this to stick with it.  Doing the math only ate up a couple reps – 300 paces to the top, roughly 1200 feet, roughly 3 round trips up and down for a total of 1 mile.  After that, you are on your own!

The gawking crowd isn’t too bad over lunch – a handful of people coming and going, lots of cars in the ramp.  But when I did it before work the other day while the ramp was filling I swear I caused a gawker slowdown.  If they think this is weird, just wait until I show up doing this in my FiveFingers or, even worse, my huaraches!  I even plan to start eating lunch during these reps to practice eating while moving – I’m sure this will get phoned in at some point.