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Why hill reps?

September 30, 2004

Please forgive me if I am preaching to the converted or stating the obvious, but with the cross-country season just around the corner and lots of new faces at the club, I thought it would be worthwhile explaining why we organise hill reps and what constitutes typical winter training.

What are hill reps?

Hill reps consist of a half-mile repetition (approx.) over a fixed course, encompassing part or all of a hill. They are held during the Autumn and Winter months and cater for all abilities.

Where are the hill reps held?

We use 4 courses for our hill reps, all situated off Roath Park lake for two reasons. The first is their location, being within easy reach of most parts of Cardiff. The second reason is the near perfect angle of the hills. Each provides a long drag that allows you to work consistently without getting into oxygen debt until the last quarter. Each rep is around half a mile. The hills in question are; Lady Mary road, Cefn Coed Road, Llandennis Avenue (Cardiff High) and a new shorter rep on Highfield Road.

So why do hills?

Hills improve strength. The winter should be about building a base, consolidating the gains of the summer and laying the groundwork for the following Spring. Hill repetitions are a superb way of building your leg strength and perfectly complement cross-country running. They also provide a good platform for longer events such as full and half marathons. In addition to hill reps, the winter is the time to start building your long runs. Speedwork can then be introduced in the Spring to sharpen your pace.

Can I attend?

Anyone can participate. I would encourage any member of the club irrespective of ability to join the sessions. In the past the group size has ranged from 6 to 18 with runners of all levels attending. They are designed to suit all.

I heard that Mick McGeoch attended a session once. Is that true?

Yes, that is quite true. The story has now drifted into legend, but those that witnessed it with their own eyes can attest to it. Mick chose the Llandennis Avenue repetition for both his debut and retirement from Hill reps. The Road has now been renamed Boulevard de Mick in his honour.

Hills reps start Tuesday the 5th October at 6.15 on Lady Mary Road (6.15 warm-up, 6.30 start).

Posted by Simon at September 30, 2004 03:29 PM

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