How to Prepare Yourself to Run a Strong Downhill Race

Many runners assume that running a downhill race is easier than running a hilly (or even flat race). And you may end up running faster than you would on another course! However, you need to be prepared for the different demands of a downhill race. Especially in a downhill marathon, the pounding on your quads can make you feel tired sooner and leave you more sore than running on flat terrain. There are a few things you can do to prepare yourself to run a strong downhill race.

Downhill races can feel uniquely challenging. Essentially, you are constantly braking while moving downhill. This causes your muscles to have eccentric contractions that can affect how your legs feel by the end of the race. There is also harder pounding on the body when running fast downhill, which can put extra stress on the joints. Expect DOMS to hit hard after a downhill race!

Also keep in mind that in order for a race to have a big elevation drop, it needs to start at higher altitude. If a runner is not used to running at altitude this may affect their race.

However, many runners end up racing faster on.a downhill course. This is why the Boston Marathon added a BQ time penalty for any course with a net downhill of 1,500 feet or more. Depending on the actual net downhill of the race, runners must earn a qualifying time that is a certain amount faster than what they would otherwise need to BQ for their age group.

How to Prepare Yourself to Run a Strong Downhill Race

Train for the course

Familiarize yourself with the elevation profile of the race. Is it almost all downhill? Is it a gradual or steep decline? Are there uphills too, and how steep are they? These are all important factors to help you plan your training.

As much as possible you will want to train on similar terrain to where you will be racing. Many treadmills now have decline settings, so if you have access to one you may want to take advantage of this feature.

If you are running a course like Boston, which has a net downhill but big rolling hills later in the race, you will want to make sure you are prepared to run rolling hills on tired legs.

You can plan your runs on these types of routes and also include hill repeats in your training. However, hard downhill workouts should be spaced out rather than done every week. These can place a hard demand on your body that requires adequate recovery.

Work on strength

Strength training is another key piece to running a downhill race. You want to make sure your legs, especially your quads, are strong in order to be able to handle the pounding of running downhill.

I like to have runners strength train the day after a hard workout or long run, or even throw in some leg exercises after a workout. Some exercises to try include lunges, split squats, squats or single leg squats, and step-ups onto a bench. You can make these exercises eccentric by focusing on going slowly during the lowering part of the move, and then going at a normal pace as you return to the start.

Include plyometrics in your training

Plyometrics are another great way to prepare your body for downhill running. The nice thing about plyos is that a little bit goes a long way! This means don’t overdo it, especially when you are starting out.

Plyometrics are quick movements that help you learn how to exert power and force. (Think jumping movements). They can improve running economy and speed as well as help train your muscles and tissues to move quickly.

Plyometrics that focus on jumping down will be especially helpful (such as jumps off a box) but as you are getting started you can try pogo hops or regular squat jumps to get your body used to these kinds of exercises.

Learn how to run downhill

Using the correct downhill running form over the course of a long race will help prevent you from certain injuries or feeling fatigued as soon. Here are some tips for downhill running form.

Try to take quick, small steps so that you do not overstride. Maintain an upright posture with a slight forward lean (rather than leaning back which will lead to overstriding and “braking”). Land with soft knees.

Work on maintaining a steady pace. If the downhill is steep you may want to run faster, but this will be difficult to maintain over a long race. Try to run by effort rather than pace.

Have you ever run a downhill race?
If so, what have you done to prepare?

You may also like:
How To Run Hills Safely and Efficiently
Why You Should Be Running Hills In Your Training
Popular Spring Marathons on the East Coast

Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner and Runs with Pugs to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.