Long Hill Climb Run: 60-Minute Uphill Endurance Session

Session Overview

This 60-minute uphill endurance run builds the quad strength, glute power, and mental resilience needed for hilly triathlon courses. Unlike sprint hill repeats, this session focuses on sustained climbing effort — simulating the demands of UK events like IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton and Weymouth’s Dorset bike leg.

What You’ll Need

• Trail or road with sustained incline (5-10% gradient)
• Running shoes (trail shoes recommended for off-road)
• GPS watch with elevation tracking
• Water bottle or hydration vest for sessions over 45 minutes

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Start with 10 minutes easy flat running at RPE 3-4. Include 4×20-second stride-outs in the final 3 minutes to get the muscles firing. Never start a hill climb cold — your legs need blood flow before sustained climbing effort.

Main Set

Find a hill with a sustained climb of at least 2km. Run continuously uphill for 40 minutes at steady aerobic effort. Aim for even effort rather than pace — your pace will slow on steeper sections but your breathing and RPE should remain constant. Structure the climb as follows:

• First 15 minutes: Easy aerobic effort (RPE 5-6), find your rhythm, shorten your stride
• Middle 15 minutes: Moderate sustained effort (RPE 6-7), lean forward from the ankles, not the waist
• Final 10 minutes: Strong but controlled push (RPE 7), drive your arms to maintain turnover
• If you run out of hill: jog back down slowly and repeat — avoid fast descents to protect your quads

Cool-Down (10 minutes)

Walk or easy jog for 5 minutes immediately after the climb. Then 5 minutes of easy flat running to flush the legs. Finish with calf, quad and hip flexor stretches — these are your primary climbing muscles and will tighten quickly after a sustained hill session.

Coaching Notes

• Focus on effort, not pace — hills slow everyone down and that is perfectly normal
• Lean forward from the ankles and use shorter, quicker steps rather than long bounding strides
• Easier: reduce to 25 minutes of climbing and walk the steepest sections
• Harder: add a weighted vest or increase gradient to 12-15% for the middle block
• RPE target: 6-7 throughout — this is aerobic endurance work, not anaerobic climbing