Plan hill repeat workouts.
Hill sessions are best prescribed by vertical metres rather than by repeat count, because a 400 m hill at 8% delivers 32 m of climb while the same length at 4% delivers half that. Total climb is the training load that matters, and jogging back down takes roughly 1.6 times the uphill time, which is what makes hill sessions longer in the diary than the effort count suggests.
Hill repeat load
Climb per repeat = hill length x gradient/100; total climb = climb per repeat x repeats; uphill time = length in km x uphill pace x repeats
These figures are population-average estimates for training and recreational planning only and are not medical advice. Individual responses vary widely. Consult a qualified health professional before starting or significantly changing an exercise programme, particularly if you have any medical condition. Official dimensions, rules and timings should be confirmed against the governing body for your sport.
Start with total climb rather than repeat count — 150-250 vertical metres is a solid session for most runners, which is six to eight repeats of a moderate hill.
Six to ten per cent lets you maintain running form while loading the muscles. Steeper hills become strength work and change the movement pattern.
Not on a repeat session. The descent is recovery, and hard downhill running adds substantial eccentric muscle damage that slows recovery for days.