Hill Repeats vs. Long Runs: The Benefits of Both for Trail Running

When it comes to trail running, effective training is all about building strength, endurance, and mental toughness. Two key elements of any well-rounded training plan are hill repeats and long runs. Both play a vital role in improving your trail running performance, but they serve very different purposes. To maximize your potential on the trails, it’s crucial to understand the benefits of each and how to incorporate them into your program. We take a detailed look at the the difference in the two and how both can complement your trail running training

Hill Repeats: Power and Strength on Demand

What Are Hill Repeats?
Hill repeats involve running short, intense bursts uphill, followed by a recovery period (usually jogging or walking back downhill). These sessions are all about building explosive power, speed, and muscular endurance.

Benefits of Hill Repeats

1. Build Strength and Power
   Running uphill forces your muscles—particularly your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves—to work harder. This increases lower body strength and develops explosive power, which is crucial for steep ascents during trail runs.
2. Increase Running Efficiency
   Hill repeats help improve your running form by encouraging a forward lean, high knees, and a stronger arm swing. These adjustments make you more efficient and reduce wasted energy, especially on technical terrain.
3. Boost Speed and Anaerobic Capacity
   Sprinting uphill is a high-intensity effort that trains your anaerobic energy system. This helps improve your ability to sustain bursts of effort, such as when tackling steep climbs or accelerating to pass other runners.
4. Mental Toughness
   Short, repeated efforts on hills can be physically and mentally grueling, but they build resilience. The ability to push through discomfort during hill repeats translates directly to better performance on challenging trail sections.
5. Low Impact Compared to Flat Sprints
   Running uphill is less jarring on your joints than flat sprints because your stride is shorter and there’s less pounding. This makes hill repeats a safer way to build speed and power without risking overuse injuries.

How to Incorporate Hill Repeats

• Frequency: Once per week or every other week.
• Duration: Each hill repeat should last between 20 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your training goals.
• Intensity: Run at about 85-90% of your maximum effort.
• Recovery: Walk or jog downhill to recover before starting the next repeat.
• Example Workout:
  • Warm up for 10-15 minutes.
  • Complete 8-12 hill sprints of 30 seconds each.
  • Walk or jog back downhill for recovery (roughly 90 seconds).
  • Cool down with 10 minutes of easy jogging and stretching.

Of course, this is just one example of a short set of hill reps that you can do. There are many more. You will find some of our favourite hill running sessions here. 

Long Runs: Endurance for the Long Haul

What Are Long Runs?
Long runs are slower, sustained efforts over an extended period, typically ranging from 1.5 to 4+ hours, depending on your training level and goals. These runs are designed to build endurance and stamina, which are critical for trail races and ultra-distance events.

Benefits of Long Runs

1. Build Aerobic Endurance
   Long runs train your aerobic energy system, teaching your body to utilize oxygen more efficiently. This increases your ability to sustain effort over extended periods and improves your overall fitness.
2. Improve Fat Utilization
   During long runs, your body learns to rely more on fat stores for energy, which is essential for endurance athletes who need to conserve glycogen for later stages of a race.
3. Mental Preparation
   Spending hours on the trails simulates the mental challenges of long-distance races. You’ll practice staying focused, pacing yourself, and managing fatigue, which are vital for success on race day.
4. Strengthen Muscles and Joints for Endurance
   Covering long distances over varying terrain strengthens your muscles, joints, and connective tissues, making them more resilient to the stresses of prolonged running.
5. Trail Familiarity and Technique
   Long runs give you time to practice navigating technical terrain, experimenting with pacing on ascents and descents, and testing your fueling and hydration strategies.

How to Incorporate Long Runs

• Frequency: Once a week, typically on the weekend.
• Duration: Start with a manageable distance and gradually increase by 10% each week. Ultra-runners may aim for 2-4 hours, while beginners may start with 60-90 minutes.
• Intensity: Keep the pace comfortable—about 60-70% of your maximum effort.
• Example Workout:
  • Warm up with 10 minutes of easy jogging.
  • Run for 90 minutes to 3+ hours, focusing on steady effort.
  • Cool down with a 10-minute walk or jog and stretching.

How Hill Repeats and Long Runs Complement Each Other

While hill repeats focus on building power, speed, and efficiency, long runs develop endurance and mental stamina. When used together, they create a balanced training program that prepares you for every aspect of trail running.

Key Differences in Benefits

How to Combine Them

• Weekly Structure:
  • Include one hill repeat session and one long run each week, with a day or two of recovery in between.
  • Example: Do hill repeats on Wednesday and a long run on Saturday or Sunday.
• Periodization:
  • Early in your training cycle, focus on endurance with longer long runs.
  • As your race approaches, increase the intensity of hill repeats to prepare for steep climbs during races.

The Bottom Line

Both hill repeats and long runs are essential for trail runners. Hill repeats give you the strength and speed to conquer climbs and technical terrain, while long runs build the endurance needed to tackle hours on the trails. By incorporating both into your training plan, you’ll be prepared for every challenge the trails throw at you—whether it’s a steep ascent, a long technical descent, or the mental grind of a 50k race.

Trail running is as much about strategy as it is about physical fitness. So lace up your shoes, find your nearest hill, and hit the trails—both short and steep and long and winding. Happy running!