You don't need us to tell you that running uphill Incline Walking vs. Running: Which is Better?
To get some details, Italian researchers gathered 18 men with marathon PRs between 2:40 and 2:50. On one day, the runners ran just faster than 15 kilometers per hour, or close to their marathon race pace, on a treadmill set at three grades: 0%, 2%, and 7%. A few days later, the runners ran outside, again at inclines of 0%, 2%, and 7%. While the runners ran, the researchers measured several aspects of their form, as well as heart rate and other parameters of how hard they were working.
Running uphill significantly changed four key aspects of running form: stride rate, stride length, ground contact time, and flight time. The changes became much more pronounced as the men ran up the 7% grade.
Specifically, when they ran up a 7% incline, their stride length was 4.3% shorter than at 0% incline, and their stride frequency was 4.46% greater. Their ground contact time at 7% incline was 3.76% greater than at 0% incline, while their flight time at 7% incline was 13.72% less than at 0% incline.
Remember that the runners maintained a constant speed while the incline increased. When the grade of the treadmill went from 0% to 2%, the runners had to work harder, but not unsustainably so--their heart rate was just more than 5% higher at the 2% grade. Many runners set their treadmills at a 1% or 2% incline and don't notice much difference from running the same pace outdoors.
At the 7% incline, however, the runners' heart rates were more than 15% higher during the 5 minutes they ran at that grade. If you've ever run at that incline on a treadmill, you can appreciate how much different that feels than running at a 2% grade on a treadmill. Overall metabolic cost was 53% greater at 7% incline than at 0%.
By way of comparison, the Boston Marathon's Heartbreak Hill has an average grade of 4.5%, and the all-uphill Mt. Washington Road Race has an average grade of 12%.
Is there anything you can do with this information to make your next hilly race easier?
Yes: Get your butt in shape. Literally. On the 7% incline, muscle activity in the men's glutes was 83% greater than when they ran on the flat.
Related:
In the video below, seven-time Western States 100-Miler champ Scott Jurek demonstrates good uphill running form.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Other Hearst Subscriptions, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
