A hills-and-flats workout to build strength and speed

We tend to think of hill workouts as being separate from other speed sessions, but mixing them in with tempo work is a great way to prepare for a hilly race and build strength. This workout combines hills and flats into one fun but challenging session, giving you a chance to work on form, speed and power.

All you need to get this session done is a long enough hill that you can run for 60 seconds before you reach the top, with a relatively flat area at the top or bottom for your tempo work. The goal of the workout is to run the hills hard while focusing on maintaining good form. The tempo sessions in between are run at 10K and 5K pace (depending on the length), and the final, short and flat tempo interval is a chance to dig in and use up anything you have left in the tank.

The workout

Warmup: 10-15 minutes’ easy jog, followed by form drills

Workout:

6 x 30-second hill repeats, with an easy walk or jog back to the bottom as your rest between repeats

6-minute tempo at 10K pace, followed by 2 minutes’ rest

4 x 45-second hill repeats, with an easy walk or jog back to the bottom as your rest between repeats

4-minute tempo at 5K pace, followed by 2 minutes’ rest

2 x 60-second hill repeats, with an easy walk or jog back to the bottom as your rest between repeats

2-minute fast tempo (faster than 5K pace)

Cooldown: 10-15 minutes’ easy jog, followed by light stretching