Uphill Tempo Workout for Trail Running

Workout Recommended by GRP Runner Nigel Bates

In trail running, the grade and terrain of the route often decide the workout for you! When I do dial up something more specific, it’s frequently focused on gaining climbing fitness.

One of my favorite uphill workouts is 6-8 intervals of 6 minutes, at a 20-30% grade with 3 minutes downhill jog recovery.

Pace them so they feel comfortably hard, not more than the feeling of a moderate tempo pace on flat ground. Threshold effort (around 88% of your max heart rate) would be a good goal for those who track effort that way. I try to focus on good form with powerful hip and knee drive and an efficient arm cadence.

How much is 20-30% grade? Well, 11-17° in another measurement system. Another way to think of it: 30% is generally hiking terrain for pretty much everyone, while 20% is challenging to run - but still running terrain for most trail runners. You can always check your route’s pitch with a number of apps/websites, but being exact isn’t critical.

Depending on the exact grade variations, this can also be a great opportunity to practice transitioning efficiently from running to power hiking and vice versa. This workout is a great way to get in a quality aerobic effort without overly taxing the legs!