Master downhill running with these tips from a pro

Top Western States finisher Hannah Allgood shares her advice for crushing the neglected part of hill training The post Master downhill running with these tips from a pro appeared first on Canadian Running Magazine .

Blasting down a long descent looks effortless when elite runners do it, but if you’ve felt your quads cry out during a race, you know how tough it truly is. Crushing the downhill sections of a run requires confidence and strong legs that are up to the challenge. Pro trail runner and coach Hannah Allgood, who recently took 10th place at Western States 100, knows what it takes to prepare legs for a long descent.

In a recent post, the Colorado-based strength expert shared three simple exercises runners can do at home to build more resilient downhill legs, without needing much equipment. Forward step-downs Allgood says this one targets the quads, which do much of the braking work on descents. Stand on a sturdy step, box or stack of books.

Slowly lower one foot toward the floor, then return to standing. To make it harder, you can add weight, use a higher box or slow your movements down. Start with a height that allows you to maintain control.

Elevated lunge deceleration For this one, keep your focus on moving with control and allowing your knee to bend softly. Start by standing on a step or low box. Step one foot down and back into a lunge, landing gently and letting your front knee absorb the movement.

Pause for a moment at the bottom, then step back up to the box and repeat. As you get stronger, you can make this more challenging by adding weight, using a higher box, or bending your knee further. Allgood says this is also a useful lower-impact option for runners returning from injury.

View this post on Instagram Eccentric single-leg squat Stand on one leg in front of a box, chair or bench. Slowly lower yourself until you sit or lightly tap the box, then stand back up. The lowering phase is the main point, so take your time.

To make this one harder, lower the box height, add weight or slow your movement even more. If your knee caves in or you lose control before reaching the box, use a higher target until you feel steadier. For each exercise, start with two sets of six to eight reps per side, moving slowly and keeping the landing or lowering phase controlled.

These exercises can make your quads surprisingly sore, so add height, weight or extra reps gradually rather than all at once.