Are you doing TOO MUCH elevation in your training?
There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t flick through Facebook groups/Instagram et al, and I see the blanket (and quite frankly outdated) advice when someone asks about training for [insert hilly/mountainous ultra race of choice in here] where people will answer back with… “just do more hills”…
And oftentimes, people get so fixated on number of feet of elevation change or “that one massive climb”, that the entire race they are doing almost becomes about those factors and they forget about all the other things that come with running an ultra. Which is fine if it’s an Everesting challenge, but even the monster races like UTMB, UTS, Lakeland, Western States, The Arc… the list goes on… all have very long runnable sections in them!
Now, before we get into the article, let me start by saying, do not get me wrong. Hills and elevation are an absolutely essential part of any hilly/mountainous ultramarathon training programme, so this is absolutely not a “stop doing hills” approach. I love them and very much use them in every one of my coached athletes plans, even those doing flat races!
Having said that, lets explore why adding too much vert into your training might actually make you worse!
Potential Downsides of Too Much Elevation Training
Increased Risk of Overuse Injuries
- Uphill Overload:
Excessive uphill running places additional strain on your Achilles tendon and calves. Research shows that the increased muscular demand can elevate the risk of tendonitis (trust me, I have been there and it’s not nice!). - What goes up, must come down:
Downhill running is no less demanding… in fact, excessive downhill running can be even more deleterious. The high eccentric load on your quadriceps during downhill sections can lead to muscle damage and require longer recovery times. Whilst the “Repeated Bout Effect” is an incredibly useful tool to protect and “season” the quads, and provide mitigation against Rhabdomyolysis, it is an intervention that requires no more than a few surprisingly short sessions in the weeks before a race
Diminished Returns
- Spending too much time at the opposite ends of the cardiovascular effort spectrum:
If you are almost constantly going uphill (heart rate goes higher) and downhill (heart rates goes low), you miss out on developing your baseline cardiovascular fitness because your heart rate never stable for long enough.
- Balancing Act:
Focusing exclusively on elevation might hinder your development on flat terrain. Many ultramarathons, even those in mountainous regions, feature rolling or mixed terrain – UTMB, UTS, Lakeland… even with their massive elevation gains have significant runnable sections! Too much emphasis on hills can mean you miss out on building the speed and efficiency you need on the flatter sections. - Reduced Recovery & Increased Fatigue
Incorporating too many high-intensity hill sessions can lead to chronic fatigue. The cumulative stress from excessive vertical gain—especially when combined with long mileage—can impair recovery and diminish the quality you are getting out of subsequent training sessions.
Up is not the only way
Does Getting Faster Help?
Absolutely! Developing speed is a game changer for hill performance:
I get it, lots of Ultramarathoners simply hate doing speedwork. Others believe its useless… I mean, we aren’t going to be running at 5km effort in the race, so what is the point in doing 5k effort in training?
Hear me out…
- Improved Running Economy:
Getting faster means better running economy, meaning you expend less energy at a given effort. This efficiency transfers itself into more power at a lesser metabolic cost whilst going uphill - Enhanced Neuromuscular Coordination:
Speed workouts and strides help improve neuromuscular coordination. This enhanced coordination isn’t just beneficial on flat sections; it translates to more efficient and controlled running on varied terrain, including hills. - Time Savings on Flats:
Back to my point about not doing 5km effort in an ultra… you are right, you probably wont. But if your upcoming Ultramarathon might take you, lets say, 24 hours. Why would you NOT want to do it in 22 hours??
What Is the Ideal Incline Percentage for Training?
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription, here are some practical guidelines:
- Uphill Intervals:
I suggest inclines around a 5–10% incline for uphill interval sessions. These are ideal for building strength and aerobic capacity without causing excessive fatigue. This range helps stimulate the lower limbs effectively without overloading them. - Sustained Climbs:
For sessions that mimic race conditions with longer, sustained climbs, inclines, I believe the ideal scenario is to mimic the demands of your race during your long runs. So if you race has an average of 200ft per mile of running average, try and hit that during your longs run too - Downhill Training:
Incorporating declines of around 3–10% can help prepare your muscles for the eccentric loading of downhills on race day, but tread carefully here, doing “loads of downhills” (another common response I see on FB groups) can lead to problems, especially in the knee and hip
A protocol I use with my athletes is to seek out 30-40 mins of TOTAL downhill running on a session around 4 weeks out from race day, then again 2 weeks from race day. After the first session, they may well feel quite sore for a couple of days, but through the magic of the repeated bout effect, the next session, they need no recovery at all. How this then translates into race day is they have almost no quad soreness during or after the race.
In fact, just recently 3 of my runners completed the 2025 Arc100, and all 3 reported back very minimal quad/leg soreness at all
The VK route in Chamonix
The Balanced Approach
Like with anything, its all about balance! The key to a successful ultramarathon training program is balance. Here’s how to integrate these elements effectively:
- Mix It Up A Bit:
Combine hill workouts with flat speed sessions and longer, steady endurance runs. This not only builds the necessary leg strength and aerobic base but also ensures you’re developing overall speed and efficiency. - Gradual Progression:
Just as with increasing mileage, gradually increase your vertical gain as this can help you avoid overwhelming your body with too much new stress at once. I usually start early on in a programme with something like 30 second hill reps, then the following week 60 secs, then 90, then a bump up to 3-minute hill reps, with the intensity of these reps decreasing as the length increases
You can also do speedwork sessions that are a mixture of flat and hill, such as 4×5 min threshold on the flat, followed by 8×1 minute hill reps. The possibilities are endless
- Listen to Your Body:
Pay close attention to signs of fatigue or persistent pain—especially in areas like your calves, Achilles tendon, and quads. Adjust your training load accordingly to prevent chronic injuries. Don’t be afraid to use cross-training… I find utilising very high power intervals on a watt bike or turbo trainer translates very well into hills too!
Here is an example week of what one of my athletes, Jonathan (training for the Summer Spine Sprint) has been doing, and I quote his exact words, and I can because he is a RunUltra reader (that’s how he found me!),
Feel amazing since we started working together by the way. Fittest I’ve ever been!
- Monday – Very easy, chatty and flattish 10km
- Tuesday – Speedwork – VO2Max Intervals 5x3mins very hard (3min recovery jog) on a track
- Wednesday – Strength Work and Easy 45 min recovery jog
- Thursday – Tempo hills with flat hard efforts – 5×3 min tempo feel hills, finish with 5×30 secs very hard flat intervals
- Friday – Strength Work
- Saturday – Long easy run in the Peaks with plenty of elevation
- Sunday – 60 mins easy
Purpose of this phase is to develop his fitness and baseline speed to then carry this into the later stages of his training where we will indeed increase his elevation and specificity to his race with recces out on the Spine course… but not overdoing the elevation! Flat is good 😉
Final thoughts
Moderate hill training builds strength and endurance, but too much vertical gain on steep hills can overload your muscles and connective tissues, lead to chronic fatigue, disrupt efficient movement patterns, and ultimately impair your speed and running economy. The key is to strike a balance and learn to love the flats… maybe even learn to love the tarmac too… yep, I went there!
Written by Nick Hancock at Maximum Mileage Coaching
If you want to knock a few hours off your next ultra race time or get up THAT hill a bit quicker, check us out at Maximum Mileage Coaching, official running coaching partner of RunUltra
