Mastering the Downhills: A Crucial Edge for Race-Day Success

As race season gains momentum, most runners dial in their uphill fitness - but it’s often the downhills that determine how strong you finish. Whether you're tackling technical descents or long, flowy trails, downhill running takes a serious toll on your body, especially your quads.

In the latest of our 'Coach's Corner' series, UESCA coach Laurel Walker, an experienced mountain runner and climber, breaks down how to train smart for the descent.  

As racing season ramps up, race-specific workouts become more and more important. 

It can be easy to place all the focus on uphill training and ignore the need to put in specific training for the downhill aspects of races.

However, our bodies get more beat up on the downhills. How many times have you been running a long race and reached a point where your quads hurt so much that you can no longer run downhill?

Imagine how much more efficiently you could finish these races if you were able to keep running all of the downhills? No matter how far you are going, the stronger your body is and the more efficient your technique, the better you will feel to the end. 

Downhill Running Technique 

When running downhill it is important to stay balanced from head to toe, and avoid over-striding. Try to let gravity take you while also being in control of your movements. A great way to work on this is to find a specific downhill stretch and practice running down it. If you ski or mountain bike, think of the way you choose your path or line of sight as you go downhill, and adapt that to running. When downhills get technical, it adds an additional challenge for the brain and body. 

Downhill Specific workout ideas

1. Intervals
Think of these the same way you would flat or uphill intervals, just do them on the downhill and walk back up to recover after each one. 

2. Long downhill focused workouts
Hike/run easily up a long hill and then run hard back down

3. Downhills during a long run
Choose a hilly long run and run the downhill portions with purpose. Focus on footing, sighting, control, and relaxing into the downhill

Downhill-specific weight training

Weighted exercises such as split squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc. are all great for working the muscles to build resilience for downhill running. 

Racing

In net downhill races, such as the Western States 100 mile Endurance Run, the accumulated time moving downhill can sneak up on you over the course, and be a pain (literally) to deal with in the back half of the race. 

Proper preparation, as well as smart pacing throughout the race, can help lessen the inevitable quad pain. 

Before the race, map out significant downhills and think about how you are going to attack each. I think of this as a risk vs. reward situation.

For example, here are some ideas for a 100 mile race:

- 7-mile technical downhill at mile 20: Run relaxed, in control and do not pound too hard; keep breathing and heart rate under control. The risk vs. reward of attacking this aggressively is too great this early in the race, especially since it is technical. 

-10 mile flowy downhill at mile 80: Attack this one! Run in control but push it. This is late in the race and not technical - two reasons why the risk versus reward of running faster is worth it. 

Recover with CurraNZ

The eccentric muscle loading from descents causes more muscle damage than uphill or flat running, making recovery a critical part of the process.

That’s where CurraNZ comes in. Clinically researched for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, CurraNZ accelerates recovery from muscle-damaging exercise, helping reduce soreness, improve muscle function, and get you back to training faster.

If you're pushing your limits in the mountains or preparing for a net-downhill race, CurraNZ is a must-have tool to support faster recovery and maintain training consistency.