Learn to Love the Hills of Athens

Athens GA has hills - that’s a fact. Finding a flat route is close to impossible. And when you’re running up Lumpkin St., it’s easy to hate them. But rather than hating the hills, they should be viewed as a challenge and opportunity.

Running hills daily boosts cardiovascular fitness, builds significant lower-body strength (glutes, quads, calves), and improves running economy, acting as "speed work in disguise". This high-intensity training increases oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and burns more calories than flat running, while reducing impact stress on joints.

Key Benefits of Daily Hill Training:

- Enhanced Strength & Muscle Activation: Uphill running acts as resistance training, forcing muscles to work harder, which strengthens the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and core.

- Improved Cardiovascular Fitness: It significantly raises your heart rate, enhancing your aerobic capacity and VO₂ max.

- Increased Speed & Efficiency: Regular hill training boosts your power, stride length, and running economy, making you faster on flat ground.

- Lower Impact Load: Despite the intensity, running uphill reduces the impact on joints and connective tissues compared to running on flat surfaces.

- Mental Toughness: Consistently tackling challenging terrain builds mental grit and confidence.

- Better Running Form: Hills force you to lift your knees higher and use your arms more, improving posture and encouraging a more efficient, forward-leaning running posture.

Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOiUBWcvfaM