Training guide · Trail & mountain
Vert Training for Mountain Races: Climb and Descend Faster
Road fitness gets you to the trailhead. Mountain races are won by runners who trained climbing, hiking and — most often forgotten — descending. Here's how to build all three, even if you live somewhere flat.
Key takeaways
- Track weekly vertical gain alongside mileage, and build it gradually.
- Power hiking is a skill. Train it on purpose.
- Descending fitness is what separates finish times late in mountain races.
- Flatlanders can get most of the stimulus from treadmills, stairs and strength work.
Why specificity matters
Climbing at a steep grade recruits muscles differently than flat running, and long descents load the quads eccentrically in a way flat mileage never does. Your training should mirror the grades, durations and terrain of your goal race as closely as you can manage.
Start by studying your race's elevation profile: how long are the climbs, how steep, and how much descending comes after them? Our Pikes Peak guide is a good example of a race where the descent decides the result.
Key vert workouts
Short hill repeats
Hard, short efforts on a steep hill with full walk-down recovery. Builds power and running economy on climbs.
Long sustained climbs
Extended climbing at a steady, sustainable effort — the uphill equivalent of a threshold session. Mix running and hiking as the grade dictates.
Power hiking intervals
Hike hard on steep grades: short steps, hands on quads if it helps, hips forward. Practice transitions between running and hiking without stalling.
Controlled downhill repeats
Run descents at gradually increasing speed with quick cadence and relaxed upper body. Start with short, smooth downhills and progress to longer and more technical terrain.
Back-to-back long days
Two long, hilly days in a row teach you to climb and descend on fatigued legs — exactly what the back half of a mountain race feels like.
How to power hike well
- Know when to hike. If running a grade costs much more effort than hiking it at the same speed, hike.
- Lean from the ankles, not the waist; keep your chest open.
- Use your hands on your thighs on very steep pitches, or poles where the race allows them.
- Keep cadence up. Short, quick steps beat long, grinding ones.
Training the descent
Downhill running causes more muscle damage than uphill or flat running because the quads lengthen under load. The good news: that damage drives adaptation, and a few weeks of progressive downhill work substantially reduces how sore and slow you get on race day.
- Introduce downhill running gradually and early in a training block.
- Keep feet under your hips and let cadence, not stride length, carry speed.
- Practice on terrain similar to your race: smooth fire road and rocky singletrack demand different skills.
Vert training for flatlanders
- Treadmill incline: the closest substitute for sustained climbing. Some treadmills also decline for descent work.
- Stairs and stair machines: great for power hiking strength and cardiovascular climbing fitness.
- Parking garages and bridges: short, repeatable climbs and descents.
- Strength work: step-ups, split squats and eccentric step-downs prepare legs for both climbing and descending.
Sample week in a mountain-race block
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Rest or easy + mobility |
| Tue | Short hill repeats |
| Wed | Easy run + strength (step-ups, eccentric step-downs) |
| Thu | Long sustained climb or treadmill incline session |
| Fri | Easy or rest |
| Sat | Long trail run with race-like climbing and descending |
| Sun | Moderate hilly run on tired legs |
Vert training FAQ
How much vertical gain should I train per week?
It depends on your race and history. A useful starting point is to look at your race's total gain and build toward regularly covering a meaningful fraction of it in your biggest weeks, increasing gradually.
Should I use poles?
If your race allows them and has long, steep climbs, poles can save leg strength. Train with them before race day so they help rather than trip you.
Why are my quads destroyed after mountain races?
Eccentric loading on descents. Progressive downhill training and eccentric strength work are the fix.