Why Hills Feel So Hard in the Highlands

Ask any runner in the Highlands about their nemesis and you'll usually get the same answer: hills. Whether it's the steady drag up the Old Edinburgh Road out of Inverness, the punishing pull up Meall Fuar-mhonaidh, or a short sharp climb on a midweek loop around Aviemore, gradients have a way of emptying the tank faster than any flat distance ever could.

Here's the good news. Running uphill isn't really about fitness alone. It's a skill, and like any skill it can be learned. Most runners who blow up on a climb do so because they try to hold the same pace and stride they'd use on the flat, then panic when their breathing spirals. Change a few habits and you'll find you can climb steadily for far longer than you thought.

Shorten Your Steps, Don't Fight the Gradient

The single biggest mistake on a climb is over-striding. When you reach forward with your foot on a steep gradient, you land with your leg straight and your heel well ahead of your hips. That's a braking move, and it costs you dearly.

Instead, think about taking shorter, quicker steps. Your cadence doesn't need to increase dramatically, but your stride length should shrink noticeably. You want your foot to land roughly beneath your hips, even when the ground is rising away from you.

• Count your steps for 30 seconds on the flat, then again on a climb. Many runners drop cadence badly uphill without realising it.
• Aim to keep your feet light and your contact time brief. Think "quick and quiet" rather than "long and powerful".
• Lean slightly from the ankles, not the waist. A gentle forward lean uses gravity to your advantage; bending at the middle just squashes your breathing.
• On very steep sections, especially on wet Highland grass or loose scree, shorter steps also mean better grip and less chance of a slip.

Pump Your Arms and Let Them Do Some Work

Your arms set the rhythm for your legs. If your arms hang limp, your legs will follow suit and your climb will feel like a slow grind. If your arms drive briskly back and forward, your turnover lifts almost automatically.

Keep your elbows bent at roughly 90 degrees and swing from the shoulder, not by flapping your hands across your body. Drive the elbow back rather than reaching the hand forward. On steeper ground, you can shorten the swing and increase the tempo. You'll often find that speeding up your arms a fraction is enough to bring your legs back to life without any conscious effort at all.

Relax your shoulders while you do this. Tension in the neck and upper back is wasted energy, and it makes breathing feel tighter than it needs to be. A quick shrug and a shake-out every few minutes helps more than you'd expect.

Keep the Effort Steady Instead of Sprinting and Stopping

This is the habit that catches out almost every runner new to hill work. You attack the bottom of the climb, feel strong for two minutes, then have to stop and gasp. After a rest you set off again, only to repeat the whole sorry cycle. The result is a much slower average speed and a far less enjoyable day.

The better approach is to settle into a pace you could theoretically hold for the whole climb, even if it feels almost too easy at the start. Imagine you're running at a effort level of about seven out of ten, no more. Your breathing should be deep and rhythmic, not ragged.

• If you can't speak a short sentence, you're going too hard for a long climb.
• Take the first third of any hill deliberately gently. Many runners find they can pass people later simply because they didn't overcook the start.
• Use landmarks rather than the summit as targets. Aim for the next bend, the next gate, the next clump of heather. Small goals keep the effort honest.
• If you're on a long ascent, consider a run-walk pattern from the outset rather than waiting until you're forced to walk.

Walking Is a Skill, Not a Failure

Let's be clear: walking uphill is not cheating. Even elite fell runners walk the steepest sections of a long climb. The trick is to walk before you have to, and to walk purposefully.

A brisk, strong uphill walk with long arms and a tall posture will often cover ground faster than a shuffling jog that leaves you wrecked. If your breathing is out of control, walking for 60 to 90 seconds can reset everything. You'll then be able to run again at a decent rhythm instead of stumbling upward in survival mode.

On Scottish terrain this matters even more. A boggy climb above Glen Affric or a rocky pull on the West Highland Way rewards control and foot placement. Trying to run every step when the ground is technical is a quick route to a twisted ankle.

Practising Hills on Local Routes

You don't need a Munro to build hill strength. Any decent local slope will do. Find a climb of two to five minutes near you, ideally on quiet tarmac or firm trail, and use it for repetitions. Jog easily down and repeat four to six times, focusing on short steps, driving arms and controlled breathing.

Once a week is plenty to start. Combine that with longer days out on the trails, where you practise pacing and walking on real terrain, and the hills that once terrified you will start to feel like an opportunity rather than a punishment.

Take your time, keep the effort honest, and enjoy the climb. The view from the top is always worth it.