Today I want to talk about hills.

So, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been accepted to go to Mongolia this coming summer as part of a group doing genetic surveys of snow leopards. One of the requirements for this program is the ability to pass a 3-mile jog test to ensure that we’re all in shape to be hiking several miles a day. Because of this, I’ve had to start training, and I’ve decided that I want to chronicle this journey as I get in shape for Mongolia.

I have a 3-mile route that I try to do 3 or 4 times a week. I’m employing what is called the Gallaway Method, in which I alternate between running and walking, and gradually increase my running time while decreasing my walking time. I started out running 1 minute and walking 30 seconds. It’s been a few weeks, and now I’m up to running 1 min. 30 sec. and walking 30 seconds.

There is a hill on my route that I absolutely loathe. It’s an especially spiteful hill because it’s at the end of my route, when I’m already really tired. As I was running up this hill today, I was thinking about my motivation for running up the hill instead of just breaking my pace and walking up it. I’ve made attempts at running before, but my reasons for those attempts were always along the losing weight/getting healthy route. When I would run for those reasons, I never ran uphill.

But my reasons for running are very different this time. My primary motivation is, of course, Mongolia. However, as I’ve been running I’ve realized how AWESOME it feels. After a good run, I get runner’s high like nobody’s business. Even after the high wears off, I feel light and strong for the rest of the day. When I was running in a half-hearted attempt to get in shape, it was so easy to blow off hills. But now that I’m emotionally invested in my runs, when I face obstacles like that hill, it’s personal. If I let that hill break my pace, the hill has won for that day. I will drop dead from exhaustion before I let that hill win.

Tagged as: running. training. Mongolia. hills. runner's high.