Running: Downhill
"Don't run hard down that hill because you will pay for it later in the race". How many times have you heard that? Initially I preached it also. And for what it's worth there is certainly some truth behind it. Running downhill certainly beats up your legs. I certainly do not run hard downhills with the fear of not finishing a race strongly or just finishing period. As of two weeks ago my opinion on this has dramatically changed. Two weeks ago I was given a run session that required the same effort level on the flats as on the downhills. I knew immediately I would have to embrace running downhill and alter my original train of thought to achieve the goal of the session. I performed this session at the Old Westbury Campus which has plenty of rolling hills. Throwing caution to the wind, I focused and followed the game pan. At the bottom of the first hill I was expecting to feel my quads being torn apart. That feeling never came. At the bottom of each successive hil...