Eat those hills for breakfast (or lunch or dinner if you are an afternoon/night runner).

Last Saturday we ran 20 miles of our upcoming marathon course. I have done this particular marathon before but somehow I forgot how intense the rolling hills are (kind of like child birth, you forget how painful it was afterwards so that you actually do it again).

Just as you are recovering from the previous hill, you have another one to climb. Seeing as I have been running on flat paths for this entire training cycle, it is time to get strong on those hills.

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“It’s the worst-kept secret in running: If you want to improve strength and speed, run hills.” (source)

I did get one hill workout in this week:

Warm-up 3 miles (to get to the hill I wanted to run).

8 x 60 second hill sprint (based on effort, not pace). Recovery on the downhill.

3 miles back home (last 1.25 miles @ 6:35 pace because I really needed to get back to my car fast because I was late)

Each hill sprint I tried to go up the hill a little bit higher in the 60 seconds (you could use a rock to mark what point you got to with each one).

My buns were burning and I definitely felt this workout in my lungs. Some awesome hill workout ideas are HERE!!

The day after my hill workout we all had a nice and easy/relaxed/happy/glorious/sunrise watching trail run together. It was a nice reward.

Rachelle and I are in fact in matching jackets (as you can tell, one of my favorite things to do).

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So what about in a race.. how do you attack those hills? Keep your effort levels the same, don’t try to keep your pace the same!

“Your effort increases as you run up a hill, even if you reduce your pace. So, in a race the best way to run a hill is to maintain effort and forget about pace while on the hill— even effort is the surest route to a faster time. Trying to maintain pace on the hill is like surging and varying the body’s perceived effort, which will only tire you prematurely in the long run.” (Source)

Benefits of Running Hills:

-Stronger hip flexors (which help us to be faster on flat roads, protects us from getting injured and help us to climb those hills), quads, gluteals and calves!

-Strengthens your aerobic system (you will need less oxygen to run at a faster pace!).

-Combines strength work with regular running.

-“Running up hills forces the knees to lift higher, one of the most desirable developments for any runner, because this governs stride speed and length.” (source)

-The more you run hills the less you will be afraid of them. You will build a lot of confidence!

-Run hills—> stronger lower body—> lower your chances of injury!

………..So, let’s all get stronger by including hills in our workouts.

Oh yeah, don’t forget about your form! (source)

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My eats have been incredibly bland and boring lately to keep my stomach happy but the two of us have been loving nightly popsicles on the front porch. I think this will be a summer tradition.

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Curly graduated from preschool! She even got to wear pjs on her last day of school.

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Finally, an article that has the TRUE BEST FOODS FOR RUNNERS. I have been right all along.

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What type of hill workouts do you do?

Have you noticed big differences in your running when you include hill training?

Favorite type of cupcake?

What is your earliest memory.. how old?

-Preschool. We had a big wheels race and I distinctly remember everything about it.

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98 comments

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Still injured, so no running. I have memories of way back to 3 years old….and I swear the very first memory I have is of running up a hill, I went to pick a flower.

I love red velvet cupcakes! They are divine. You need to have one today. trust me.

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hope you get over your injury quickly.

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LOVE hills! Not so sure if it’s because they’re, well, hills, or because they make me feel so hard core, ha!

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ha they make me feel hardcore too

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My runs usually include some slight hills, but I need to actually plan to just run hills every week. When I visit Nashville friends the hills there are perfect…So steep and they are small so they are perfect for sprinting up……….we are talking serious hills in neighborhoods there!!

Red velvet anything is delicious…now I want a cupcake!!

My earliest memory………hmmmm….when I was just less than 2 I remember getting bitten by a goose………I know you supposedly can’t remember stuff that young but I do! However I don’t remember punching the goose after she bit me like my mom says I did…

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wow crazy goose incident, we run into them at our zoo all the time and they get pretty crazy as well.

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I dread running up hills mainly because it looks like I’m about to keel over and people stare haha! There’s this one huge hill that is always on my route (just because I haven’t found a way to avoid it…yet) and that lasts for a good quarter mile (it’s a huge hill…). That would be the extent of my hill running! Haha!

Cupcakes are my FAVORITE! I work at Georgetown Cupcake, so my favorite of theirs is salted caramel :) but red velvet is good as well! It’s a good thing I run haha!

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My neighborhood is pretty much all rolling hills so most of my runs just have hills included. Early on in my marathon training i’ll do a few treadmill hill workouts but whenever i see 600 x 2 or whatever that looks like a math equation i can’t deal. So treadmill is 1/2 mile at big incline and 1/2 mile flat repeated for 4-5 miles. I need EASY!

I haven’t really noticed a difference in my training except that I’ve been PR’ing a lot when the course is absent of hills! =)

I love a good vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting no bells or whistles.

In kindergarten on the first day of school i sat all by myself because i was shy. A month later for my birthday i brought in cupcakes and left one for my teacher on her chair (I was too short to reach her desk). Needless to say she didn’t see it and sat in it. The whole class giggled and then I had friends and wasn’t shy anymore. So it was the cupcake-breaker i suppose =)

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I haven’t been doing a lot of hill work lately but have actually been craving it. Weird right? I just feel so strong after! Favorite cupcake is obviously red velvet. Or anything else covered in cream cheese frosting ;)

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I have the same feeling after my hill workouts.

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Congrats curly!!!! So stinking cute!

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I really like hill workouts! I like that graphic that calls them speed bumps because they do help your speed on flat races. Also it works different muscles, to me it seems like they’ve helped me be a faster runner in general and stronger, and I like that. Plus it’s great you were “rewarded” with a trail run the next day!

Good luck with marathon training!

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Thank you for this motivation to run hills! In the past, I have tried to get up the hill as fast as possible…which meant increasing effort. I’m definitely going to try to maintain effort rather than pace now. :-)

Popsicles covered in chocolate = the best.

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Hills are brutal but I actually enjoy them. I can tell how much they help when I am doing them regularly and then I go run a flat course, feels really easy.

Wish I could wear PJ’s to work, that would be awesome. DROOL for red velvet cupcakes.

Hill Workouts – I use trails for my hill workouts, one in particular has about 1000ft elevation gain, straight up. Really gets the thighs burning.
Difference In Running – Absolutely, feel like Im faster and my knee drive is better
Favorite Cupcake – Have to go with red velvet of course
Earliest Memory – No clue, Ill have to think about that one

http://runningschlub.blogspot.com/

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I love rolling hills in a run, not such a big fan of hill sprints but I know they have magical powers so I try to do them once a week anyway!

Favorite cupcake is espresso or maple :)

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I need to incorporate more hills into my running, they’re tough but worth the effort. When it comes to cupcakes I say the more chocolate the better, but a well made red velvet is pretty high up there too.

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Where my parents live is like hill after hill after hill… I always seem to be going up them instead of down–and I always feel the up more than the down.

There are no bad cupcakes, only less ideal flavors… But strawberry from Georgetown Cupcake is my favorite.

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i did a lot of hill workouts over the winter — instead of doing track, because the track was mostly covered in ice/snow from dec-feb. I did one hill workout a week and made sure to do the same hill at the end of each month to see if I shaved off a second or two. Plus lots of single legs quats and bridges. come march, i PR’ed in my half by a few solid minutes!

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Oh hills…they are pretty much impossible to avoid in my neighbourhood. I have to choose between rolling hills or 45 degree hills! They definitely help though, especially with speed.

Favourite cupcake flavour: chocolate.

First memory: the carpet being 6 inches away from my face in our very first house. I must have been an infant, because I would have been crawling!

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I am one of those weirdos who likes hills. I naturally run them on all of my runs, because I live on a hill.
When I was in high school, we did 1/4 mile sprint repeats up a mountain trail. They were dreaded each week – but they helped me burn the competition on the hills!

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All of my runs include hills because there is no way around them here in Charlotte. We aren’t mountainous by any means, but Charlotte has A LOT of rolling hills so pretty much all of my routes include long inclines or shorter steep hills. Every race here includes insane hills as well so even though I don’t love them when I am doing my training runs, I know that it helps me in the long run so I appreciate them!

I definitely notice a difference during races on the flat section. When I do my long runs I usually run at marathon pace so the flat doesn’t really affect me, but during a race when I turn it up I can definitely tell that the hills help! Cardiovasularly (sp?) and strength wise!

I love all cupcakes :) No bias from me!

Earliest memory is when my mom and dad brought my sister home from the hospital. I was two, but I’ll never forget! :)

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I LOVE the way Brooke is looking at Curly in the picture!

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Cupcakes, especially red velvet ones make everything better.
The hill workouts I do are the one’s I have no choice in. Everything is hilly around here so I always run hills unless I go to the track.
I have noticed differences in hill running, I keep getting injured lol. It has to be the hills cause I refuse to believe I’m getting old!

My favorite cupcake is either red velvet or my Dulce de Leche cupcakes.

My earliest memory is of me in kindergarten singing Little Boy Blue, I could never get the words and I hated singing it.

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I just did a killer hill workout yesterday, and MAN am I feeling it today! I definitely don’t try to keep my pace…my only rules is to never stop running. I used your mantra “I can do hard things” and worked! So thanks!

I think hill repeats are painful, but totally valuable in improving running fitness. They are my frienemy.

About to head out the door for a little shakeout run this morning… Bye! :)

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I freakin’ love hills! I always tell my friends that I eat hills for breakfast! I believe all my hill work outs have paid off in all of my races!!!

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Hahaha that meme at the top is making me laugh because I live in pancake flat south Florida near the beach, so LITERALLY speed bumps are the biggest hills I have. And to be honest, at the end of a hard run those speed bumps feel like mountains. I don’t think I could cut it running anywhere with actual hills/mountains! :D

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IF I do any hill work out at all it would be with the local HS team… they are basically just hill repeats but they kill! and honestly I have been avoiding hills but this post inspired to get a hilly run in today… I have been disappointed with my times and I realize that a little hill work may be exactly what I need…. DAMN you hills!!!!!

My favorite cupcake is red velvet… I’m very funny about cupcakes but red velvet takes the cake (no pun intended)

I have a horrible memory but for some reason I can clearly remember the first day of kindergarten…

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Mmm I love red velvet cupcakes! Congratulations to Curly on her graduation!

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Oh hills, how I hate them, and never run them now haha. When I was on the crosscountry team, they made us run them 1-2 times a week, and I remember that being the season I got really fast, I ran a 5K in 19:00 minutes. I don’t know why I never put the two together to figure what I was missing!! Now I need to get some hill action ASAP! I remember when we moved into the house that I grew up in, I was 4 year old and I HAD to sing the pledge of allegiance when I got in the house haha

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There is so much to love about that photo…..Curly’s awkward but sweet pose and Brooke coveting her slippers. Precious!

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hills are so important and SO HARD!! I have a love/hate relationship.

I love that picture of all your running friends!! Too cute.

Favorite cupcake – Chai tea cupcake :) LOVE them.

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You have the cutest running gear -I want all of it!

I actually love hills but I live in a pretty flat city so it’s hard to get them into my workouts as much as I’d like to – have to take advantage of them when I can!

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I haven’t done a lot of hill training lately, but Pittsburgh is the perfect place to run the hills.

My favorite cupcake is red velvet with cream cheese frosting…although I would happily eat any cupcake in front of me :)

What popsicle are you eating? I have never seen one covered in chocolate and now I must have one!

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I am doing a 5k this Saturday that definitely has hills. I think it’s pretty much straight uphill the whole way. I have been sick all week, so I’m pretty sure those hills are going to kick my booty. Is it weird that I’m kinda looking forward to it?

I’m not sure what my earliest memory is. I think it is my dad handing me a balloon when I was five or six. I don’t have really early memories.

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I LOVE the burn of running hills. I am not sure if its the relief I feel once I get to the top, or the burn while doing the hill, but I love it. I just did hill repeats last night.
My next Half is very hilly (2 mile of a false inclide, then 4 miles rolling hills…) so I am trying to ensure I do alot of hill training.

Congrats Curly! Its amazing how much she looks like your sister in that picture you posted of the 2 of you when you were younger!

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I live in an area with so many hills so I am doing some crazy hills right now! I moved here about 2 years ago and it has soooo helped my running! I remember the alphabet wedding we did in Kindergarden which was awesome!

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My neighborhood is super hilly so most workouts turn into hill workouts! It’s a blessing and a curse. ;) Awhile back I got into running at a track and when I started running in my neighborhood again, the hills KILLED me.

Favorite type of cupcake is definitely Funfetti!

My earliest memory is being about three, sitting in the basement of my childhood home with my two sisters with my grandparents babysitting us. :)

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Hills are my favorite in training and my least favorite when racing.

I have memories from before my parents split up when I was just under 2 years old. I remember when they slid wood slats down the chainlink fence. And other stuff.

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Red velvet is my fave cupcake. By far the best!!

I try to avoid hills on day to day training, but I will run them on long runs if I know they are in upcoming races.

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I try to do hills at least once a week. They definitely help in races that have them. I hear other people near me groaning about some hill on a course when I think it’s really minor! And then I pass them, lol.

My earliest memories are from kindergarten. I was very, very, VERY shy and I remember this one boy who would chase me around the playground and tease me. I would be in tears!

I can only pick one cupcake?!?! If I had to choose just one it would be a lemon filled cupcake with lemon buttercream frosting. Anything chocolatey would be a close second.

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Love the hills post since we moved to Va from Ohio and man, those hills here are killer. It adds a whole new dimension to training since we have hills in our neighborhood. Favorite cupcake? – Any cupcake works for me!

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I remember being really hot one summer when I was 3.5 and chopping off my bangs.

I usually pick coconut cupcakes.

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We have a butte in the middle of town that is open to cars in the summer, but closed in the off-season. Hundreds of people like to walk or run it daily, as there are plenty of road and trail options to get up it. It’s a pretty hefty ascent, even for walkers. When I am doing hill repeats I start at the bottom and start making my way up, turning around back down as I have reached my interval time. Then I do it again and again and again, each time progressing further up. It’s a BURN but such a great workout. Plus, I have noticed my legs getting stronger and lighter on flat runs.

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Preschool… I remember asking my teacher how she was able to tear the perforated computer paper so quickly, when I would always end up ripping it.

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Hills are never an issue for me. I’ve always incorporated hill training into my walks and runs regularly so my body was conditioned for it. When I did the AZ RnR PF Changs there’s a killer hill at the end of the race, I passed a zillion people as they were dying up the hill. I also strength train and do stair master afterwards. Huge glute and hamstring strengthening!

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This training cycle I did hill runs 1xweek, which is a lot less than the 3xweek I used to do a year ago.

The hills definitely improved my strength and speed for shorter races, as well as primed me for maintaining speed on hills while racing. The down side was, I was running too many hills and not resting enough in between so at some point my strength and speed plateaued and I was bordering on overtraining.

Keeping it down to 1xweek has really helped me stay strong endurance wise, avoid overtraining and injury but I am not as strong and fast for shorter distance. I guess when increasing hill workouts (or speed) it’s so important to pay attention to signs that you’re pushing too hard so you can reap all the benefits and stay healthy!

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I’m running the La Jolla Half next weekend and there is a huge hill around mile 6…and I’ve kind of been freaking out about it. So this came at a perfect time, thank you!

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You are going to do amazing!!!!

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Thank you so much!!

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Great job running hills!! Do you find the hills hurt your ITBand more? How do you like the PureFlow3s compared to the 2s??

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Luckily I don’t have any it band issues anymore… Even on the hills! The 2s are still my favorite!

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that’s great that you don’t! thank you for responding!

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Hands down Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Icing!!!! Hills…ugh…but it makes me feel stronger when I pump my arms and pass people while going uphill :)

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Running hills = a necessary evil! ;)

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I like to do hill workouts on a giant hill trail in the town where I live. It’s rocky and wonderful, but it keeps me going, especially when I work intervals into it. I’ve noticed quite a bit of difference in my endurance! I LOVE red velvet or carrot cake cupcakes! Awesome pictures!

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I get into wicked awesome shape in the summer when I do a lot of trail running. It’s funny how I run so much more slowly on the trails, but it transfers to super fast running when I hit the pavement again!
My running group did a rolling hill simulation run: 0.25 mile up, 0.13 miles down. Go up and then it reverses at the top! 0.25 mile down, 0.13 mile up. The elevation chart comes out looking super cool :)

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I do a specific hill workout usually once every two weeks, but I can’t really avoid hills on a lot of my regular daily runs…the DC area is surprisingly hilly! I’d love to see a picture of your hill, I like comparing and getting an idea of hills everywhere, as lame as that sounds, I wonder if my hills are huge/really small compared to what everyone else considers hills.

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I have a few very distinct memories from when I was 2, but most come from age 3 on. I don’t run hills very often at all, which was unfortunate for my latest half marathon! I definitely should do it more often!

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I Live in the House of Mickey Mouse yep, Orlando FL.. the down side… NO HILLS AT ALL.. The good thing is we have great weather year round…but that will not make up for a lake of hills.. What to do, what to do..?

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Curly is so cute…and so is Brooke. I used to actually like hill workouts. They were super challenging!

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I just ran my first marathon on Saturday and was nervous because it had two huge hills in it. But I had trained for those hills in Central Park all winter long and afterwards I told my best friend (who was cheering me on with her 4-month old): “I ate those hills for breakfast!” Had to smile big when I saw your post title :)

Thanks for all the inspiration!

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Way to go girl! Huge congrats on your first marathon and conquering those hills!

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Hill work is INCREDIBLE! I noticed a huge huge huge difference when I did my marathon at the end of February. The hardest hill on the course didn’t phase me at all, I felt so much stronger!

I do a hill run every Wednesday night with my running friends. We meet at our running coaches house because she lives in a notoriously hilly neighborhood. We usually just meander around the neighborhood for anywhere from 4-6 miles, and attack those roller coaster hill as best we can. I’m really really loving it!

Favorite cupcake has got to be either a double chocolate or a strawberry with cream cheese frosting, mmm!

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Hills…. you’ve gotta love them for making you stronger (but I hate them when I do repeats)

My favorite cupcakes are either chocolate with butter cream frosting or red velvet with cream cheese frosting. Yum!

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My friend Nicole makes and sells the BEST cupcakes ever. They are just heavenly! My fave is double chocolate and cookies and cream. I’m trying to incorporate more hills into my workouts. I killed a hill workout last night!

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I live in a really hilly neighborhood so they cannot be avoided. But I think running hills is definitely number one thing that has improved my running. And I agree with maintaining effort approach.

Cupcakes – anything with chocolate but especially any that have a secret hidden chocolate center.

Brooke looks a little jealous she’s not wearing her PJs!

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The only hill workout is running a hill I like to call “Dog Park Hill” when I want to run to the beach from my mom’s house. I feel like the hill I run has me always running UP it and never DOWN it! I know this is not the case, but it still hurts every time I run it.

I love cupcakes! My favorite one is from a little shop in my hometown that has won Cupcake Wars. It’s called the Caramel Macchiato…chocolate cake with vanilla bean frosting with caramel in the center and on top. So yummy!

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Haha I love how little fashionista Miss Brooke is totally judging Curly’s outfit!

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Since I’m from Seattle, we have hills everywhere! I try to avoid steep inclines since it takes a big toll on me.

Red velvet cupcakes are my favorite and I would have to say that I also like anything with chocolate!

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I only like hills, because I get to run down them!

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I really haven’t ever incorporated hill training into my workouts ever… I probably should do that haha

And favorite type of cupcake. Be ready to have your mind blown. It’s a tie between two. They’re from Crumbs, which I know is in LA, but possiblyyyy in other states??? They have a butterfinger cupcake and an oreo cupcake that will literally change your life. No joke. If I’m wrong, then I will buy you a lifetime supply of cupcakes (I’m that confident in my cupcake judging skills)

Earliest memory = Northridge earthquake in 1994. I was 2 and it was a HUGE quake and I remember being in the hospital after and loving all the toys I got to play with #priorities

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I remember that quake! I was 18 #when did I get old?
Poor thing to remember that so young at least they were happy thoughts.

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Oh hills it’s a love curse for me. Training I’ll just run to one run up and down repeat. My half end of this month is all rolling hills. I have to be at the shuttle bus 4:30am that they take us to the start. I live 45 minutes away. Trying to figure if I should get a room close by or drive. I may be solo with no fam or friends going. What to do what to do. Hubs suggested not doing it. Umm no way! Still a blast even if I drive at 3:30am!

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I don’t do any actual hill workouts because running around here automatically means running giant hills. I figure that’s good enough.

My earliest memory is a traumatic one. I broke my jaw when I was 2.5 and remember being held down in the ER.

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I always run hills when I run outside because I live in a hilly neighbourhood at one of the lowest parts. Some hills are steeper than others, though, and the next neighbourhood over is flat, so sometimes I run there in the middle of my run. But I really like running hills. I always feel so powerful when I get to the top! It’s an awesome feeling.

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blerg I always skimp on hill workouts. Theres a steep hike near my house that I try to run up like twice a month but I need to step my game up.

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I’ve been doing hills all week while in San Diego on spring break. I live in a valley so I’m taking advantage of having hills at my disposal. I didn’t do any specific training, just go as hard as I can :)

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I fail as a runner. I don’t do hill workouts, even though I LOVE THEM. I’m serious.

Favorite type of cupcake: red velvet all the way.

Earliest memory: I was in my high chair. My parents gave me whole wheat/brown bread. I thought it was dirty and chucked it onto the floor without hesitation, shouting “dirty bread!” lol :/ Sassy!

I also remember preschool where we had fire alarms and had to climb out of the windows (windows were low to the ground). No wonder I have nightmares of house-fires and scared of alarms! Jeeze

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I really need to be running hills more. I tend to avoid them while running, and then end up doing horrible on my races that have hills. I just need to accept that I cannot run away from them. Haha

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I remember waking up with a tick on my eye. I was barely 3 yrs old. My dad and uncle tried to use a lighter to scare it off. Didn’t work. So I went to the hospital and had it removed. Lovely memory.

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Your niece is so sassy! Adorable!

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I never hated hills but after running the fitness mag half again last week in Central Park, for some reason I am slightly traumatized (and Central Park hills are nothing compared to some of the other hills I have run/trained on)…Favorite cupcake – hmm….usually the chocolate fudge chip or chocolate fudge brownie cupcakes from Crumbs. I do love the Boston Crème though too!

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I love hills..I actually live in an area that barely has any FLAT surfaces so I truly incorporate them into my daily runs!!

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I’m so sore from body pump that it hurts just thinking about hills! As soon as the snow is gone I will follow your advise and go find some to tackle.

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Hills are terrible but they come in line behind wind so I guess I suck it up and do it.

The photo of Curly and Brooke…oh my gosh. Curly is fabulous in those pink jammies and Brooke looks like she WANTS those little footies Curly has on. So cute!

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That last picture cracks me up, Brooke is like ‘wuz up with wearing you jammies to school, Curly?!’

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I love all things cookies N’ Cream and we had a white cake with cookies n’ creme filling at our wedding. DELICIOUS! So I guess that would be my favorite cupcake…followed up by red velvet cake (That was in fact the other layer of our cake)

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I need to add more hills to my training. Every time I do a race I complain about how hilly it feels because I am used to training on flat ground. I hope to add hill repeats into my training for my next race. They sound brutal but worth it!

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Congrats Curly! And popsicles nightly are an awesome tradition :)

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Favorite type of cupcake? Red Velvet is up there, but I will forever love a good vanilla cupcake with thick buttercream icing and sprinkles.
I live in hilly neighborhood, so if I want to include any route outside of it, I have to escape the hood and go up and down 2 massive hills. It helps with my overall endurance. But I’m really bad at not running in my neighborhood a lot, I love the trails at this time of year and our trails are flat.

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I need to do more hills. I was doing them a lot last year and it really helped me. I just have to be careful because last time I went too hard and ended up getting shin splints. Boo.

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Just running around my neighborhood is a bit of a hill workout, and I try to mix up my incline when I’m running on the treadmill. I really should do more deliberate hill running from time to time. I definitely feel stronger when I’ve been running more hills.

My grandma makes a black-bottom cupcake – chocolate cupcake with a chocolate chip studded cream cheese mixture that gets put on top before you bake it. They’re ridiculously good!

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Are you and your friend wearing the Brooks Nightlife jacket? It looks just like the one I have (and LOVE!)

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I used to run hills until my knees started playing up, and then every time after that after i run hills, my knees swell up and ache for days :(

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Hey, I recognize those jackets! Those are Brooks nightlife jackets! (Can you tell I work for Fleet Feet?)

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Where did you get Brooke’s gold shoes with the bow tie? They are totally adorable, I want to get a pair for my 21 month old daughter.

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Charlotte is pretty hilly so I try to do hills a lot…I figure if I do them enough, I’ll get used to them (so far no dice :) )

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This entire post got me through my taper week run yesterday. I did 8 miles at race pace as I am preparing for my first half marathon next weekend (!!!) I took on some of the most difficult hills in Central Park in NYC but I was thrilled to get through it and hit my goal pace!!

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