August was well on its way and over half the year had past! Wow. Time is flying this year and it seems like each month has brought in different challenges to hit certain mileage, pace, or yearly goals. A big focus I am making in the last third of the year is to step up my elevation gain.

In the month of June, my elevation gain for my monthly total of runs was below 1,000 feet. I had averaged at least 4,000 to 5,000 feet of climbing the previous months so I figured it was time to make an effort to find more hills. Who doesn’t like punishment while running?

I drove out of Austin into what is called Hill Country and found what is called ‘Hill of Death’. With that dramatic of a name, there had to be some elevation gain. I did not think I would be looking that great on the hill but I figured I would have to give it a shot. Here was my attempt below:

It turned out to be about 270 feet up in about 0.6 miles. My strava screenshot didn’t include my time going up it three times but let’s just say the pain would be the same no matter the pace. I passed someone walking and both our smiles looked pretty forced at one another. I also had sweat pouring off me and could have filled up a creek with the amount of liquid that came off my skin. Unfortunately, it just took off water weight instead of beer weight.

The ‘Hill of Death’ included gorgeous views of a Texas neighborhood which include all homes of over $1,000,000. A little different lifestyle than my wife and I’s bungalow home which I’m quite happy with. I will say though, it sure is fun to see the massive homes but I bet they didn’t have as much fun watching me struggle up the hill.

The beginning of the hill didn’t start too steep which is how it lures one in. It begins wrapping around a lake before flatting for about a 100 feet before the serious climb. Once the serious incline bit starts, pace goes down big time.

My stride shortened and each step was felt it the calves. The running form switched from the look of a bouncing deer to a deer that had been hit by a car. No animals were harmed during this run as a side note, just my pride.

As I climbed up to the top, I was rewarded with a great view and the short-term memory of thinking it wasn’t too hard. After times two and three up the hill, I had the long-term memory that it was too hard. At least I made it up though and it was more elevation than the week before!

My goal for next week is to try and conquer this bad boy five times. It would start putting me at an hour of hill running once a week with at least an elevation gain of over 1,000 feet. I may try to see if I can get up it in about 8 and a half minutes too. My fastest split up it was about 9 and a half minutes at a steady pace.

For the Everest ultramarathon, it would be a good hill for the attempt but it is an hour from our home so I would not be able to get any support and the hour drive home after would be a doozy. They also don’t have any port-a-potties in this neighborhood and I don’t think anyone would be too happy if a sweaty guy like me were to knock and ask for a restroom break. So for now, I’ll stick with the one by our old apartment unless something comes up in the next couple months.

Hope your August training has been going well and your workouts are going the way you want! For those of you including hill training; do you prefer longer hills grinds or shorter steeper ones? I think I like the longer category myself for less attempts because I can just tell myself only one or two more.