Hill training and Chicago isn't exactly a match made in heaven--especially in the confines of the city itself. You can venture out to the burbs in almost any direction--north, south or west--and stumble upon some lactic acid producing hills, but be wary about what you consider a hill if you find yourself swapping war stories with a Coloradoan or a Boston Marathon vet.

But geography aside, you've got to work with what you have, and what we have here in Chicagoland in the way of hills is plenty. Sure, we don't have any switchback trails that climb thousands of feet to Rocky Mountain peaks, but we don't need that to reap the basic rewards of hill training.

Legendary coach Arthur Lydiard was one of the most renowned proponents of hill training. In Lydiard's revolutionary four-phase training method (which produced Olympic gold medals and World Records from New Zealand athletes under his tutelage) hill training is used during Phase Two for developing power, flexibility and form.

And here's the good news: Lydiard only requires a 200- 300 meter rise on which to train, and that, my fellow Chicagoans, we've got!

While the Lydiard method requires a stringent six-month commitment, basic hill training allows you to mix things up, be creative and compliment your training in various ways.

NATURAL STRENGTH

Gravity can be your friend and your foe. When you run uphill you are working against gravity, demanding greater effort from your body, while running downhill, gravity takes over and pulls you along for the ride. Regardless, both sides of the hill work in your favor.

"Physically, there is no better way to get in shape faster than by running hills," says local coach Pat Savage. "Running downhill works your speed and running uphill works your strength."

Hills force you to change your stride--slower and shorter on the upside and faster and longer on the downside--so you're getting a different kind of workout by recruiting various muscles through an altered gait.

"You work different leg muscles that will otherwise be neglected running only on flat surfaces," says Chris Wehrman, a veteran marathoner who ran 2:19:03 on the hills of Boston in 2002. "This can actually help prevent injury because you gain more leg strength."

Whether you run repeats on an isolated hill, or go out for a continuous run on rolling terrain, you'll find that over time not only will your body harden itself against the hills, but you will become an all-around stronger runner.

Wehrman, who does the bulk of his training on the flat lakefront, says, "Hill work makes you appreciate the ease of running on flat surfaces. After getting stronger on the hills, I feel smoother and faster running on flat surfaces."

Coach Savage tends to agree.

"Hills make you stronger on flat courses," he says. "You are going to be faster and stronger on the flats when you run hills in practice."

THE CITY THAT NEVER STEEPS

If you live in Chicago proper, you've got to think outside the box in order to manufacture a hill workout. Or maybe, you should think inside the box.

Dan Daly, a Lincoln Park resident, is a veteran of 10 Boston Marathons, and qualified for Boston again this year at the ultra-hilly Big Sur Marathon in California last summer. In desperate preparation for these famously hilly events, Daly has made do with adjusting the incline on his treadmill, running up and down an eight-story parking garage in his neighborhood, and even running up a loading ramp at McCormick place.

"I don't think it's the best preparation," Daly admits, "but you've got to do what you've got to do, and that's about as good as your going to find in Chicago."

Daly has even discovered that hill workouts on the treadmill can be advantageous by enabling him to better manage and control his effort.

"It helps you keep the same pace on the incline," Daly says. "You can lock in at race pace and keep the workout consistent, and it keeps you mentally focused. Otherwise, you tend to slow down on a hill because you get tired."

RACE SPECIFIC

Hills are also a necessity when prepping for hilly races, such as the Boston Marathon, the Cary Half Marathon, the River-to-River Relay, etc.

One aspect of hill training that cannot be overlooked is confidence. Not only does it take mental strength to schlep your body up and down hills, but also knowing that your legs have been fine-tuned to handle inclines and declines can help give you a mental edge heading into a hilly race.

"It is important to simulate racing conditions if possible," says Wehrman. "You need to have the physical ability and mental confidence that you can run hills on a hilly course."

Just like it's hard to pass a test without studying the material, it's hard to succeed in a hilly race without preparing for the terrain. So if you mark your calendar with a couple vertically challenging races this year, be certain that your training is geared towards getting you to the top.

IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR TIM BROE . . .

Pro runner Tim Broe [featured on the March 2005 cover] knows a thing or two about hill training. Besides growing up amongst the bluffs of the Illinois River in Peoria, the 2004 Olympian does a steady diet of hill work in preparation for all matter of races. Even before a World Championship event, Broe sticks with his weekly hill routine.

"It's the perfect combination of strength and speed," says Broe, "which is what you need, especially at the end of a race. It gives you so much power."

Broe's early season workouts are geared towards strength, doing 6-8 repeats over a 1,000-meter hill, while later in the season he'll drop down to a 275-meter hill and do 8-10 repeats, focusing on explosive speed.

This routine works well for Broe, who won February's U.S. 4K Cross Country Championship in Vancouver, WA, and here's what Broe recommends for you:

"If you're going to do it (hills), do it. Commit to them," Broe urges. And also, bare in mind, "It's not a race to the top," says Broe. "Slow down and concentrate on your form. And be patient--it can take 8-10 weeks before you really notice a difference."

Jeremy Borling, Chicago Athlete's Assistant Editor, loves running the hills in Palos Forest Preserves.