There's an enormous hill by my house that I used to pass by and shudder. That is, until I went on a run with my hill-loving neighbor. Hills are intimidating, but they really do make us better runners. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Here are some tips to make hills feel easier so you can start incorporating them into your runs. When You're Not Running When you're not running, Read more

I don't despise running uphill, and I have my personal trainer to thank. I wouldn't say I'm head-over-heels in love with them, but now I seek hills out instead of avoiding them like I do corn syrup. I didn't always feel this way. I shied away from hills not because they're super tough to climb, but because they used to aggravate my knees and lower back. That is, until I learned proper form for Read more

Now that the snow is finally behind most of us for the season, many of you may be moving your runs from the sidewalk or pavement to woodsy trails. Here are some tips for a smooth transition, and things to keep in mind when hitting the trails. Invest in some sturdy trail running shoes. They support your feet so much better than basic sneakers. Plus, they're usually a little darker-colored, so Read more

I can tout the benefits of running hills until I am blue in the face, but it won't make running those ascents any easier. One thing that does, though, is focusing on your arms. As you're trudging up a hill, don't focus on your feet, but on the steady rhythm of your arms. Your feet will follow the pace set by your arms. I learned this little trick from the shoe expert at my local running store — Read more

Love it or avoid it, running hills is simply great conditioning. After exerting yourself to climb hills, running in the flats will feel easy. Once you begin tackling hills, they will be less intimidating. Find a hill in your area, and use map my run to figure out the percentage of the grade by clicking on the "show elevation" button. Find a hill with a medium grade of about five to six percent. Read more

It has taken me considerably longer to reconcile my negative feelings of running downhill with the power I feel running up the other side. Unlike biking down a descent where gravity pulls you along, running downhill is work and it's hard on your quads and knees. In my neck of the woods though, it's difficult to find a flat run so I've had to cultivate a love of running downhill. If you live Read more