Hills good for transitioning?

[RunningTim]

Hi everyone. I just started BF running about a month ago. I've just been doing laps of my local football field but this morning I went out on the local asphalt bike/walking track. In the middle of it is a huge big hill. I can get up the hill no worries but I'm just wondering if hills are good for transitioning to barefoot running or if I should stick to the flats until I get my mileage up (I'm doing between 2-3km runs at the moment)?



Thanks

 

[JosephTree]

IMO, nah!Pavement is good

IMO, nah!

Pavement is good and hills are good. Give your feet and legs lots of tasty terrain to stretch themselves out with. Now that doesn't mean you should do them every time you run, nor should you do too much distance on them. Have fun!

And welcome to the BRS and the barefoot adventure. I'd think BFR would be wildly popular Down Under. It fits with the national tendency to contrariness and is as good an excuse to drink beer as one could ask for. Not that an Aussie needs much of an excuse.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Definitely good for

Definitely good for transitioning!

 

[scedastic]

There's a paved trail near my

There's a paved trail near my kids' school where I've gone bf several times right from the first few weeks of transition, and there are many short but steep hills. Seems to have worked for me so far (but only a few months in). Days off in between the hilly runs were helpful, too, since they were more challenging, though.

Maybe it helps to develop uphill/downhill form early on rather than think about it much later??

 

[BFwillie_g]

Uphill is basically risk-free

Uphill is basically risk-free but be careful running downhill, that's where a lot of ppl get hurt. I mean specifically barefoot transitioners.

 

[RunningTim]

Oh I'll definitely avoid

Oh I'll definitely avoid going downhill. Especially this one: it's freakin steep! Plus I'm a little worried I'm on the verge of patella tendonitis. Can't decide if it's that or just part of the transition to barefoot running.

 

[JosephTree]

Gently does it!

Gently does it!

 

[Last Place Jason]

FYI- patellar tendonitis

FYI- patellar tendonitis (something I deal with chronically) can easily flare up when running downhill. This technique works well for me going down; Keep your stride length short, cadence high, and weight slightly back.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Last Place Jason wrote: Keep

Keep your stride length short, cadence high, and weight slightly back.

+1

 

[RunningTim]

Last Place Jason wrote:FYI-

FYI- patellar tendonitis (something I deal with chronically) can easily flare up when running downhill. This technique works well for me going down; Keep your stride length short, cadence high, and weight slightly back.

Thanks for the advice Jason. I have to say it's kind of heartening (in a non-sadistic way ) to know even the professionals get the same problems. I started barefoot running to stop my repeated knee injuries so I'm a bit worried by this. It's not so much pain after running as a dull ache in both knees.