You see the hill in front of you and it is imposing. “How the heck am I going to get to the top?”, you say. Relax – just focus on a spot just 3-4 yards in front of you and don’t look at the top. Shorten your stride and lean into the hill slightly and “chop” your way up. When you crest the hill, maintain the strong effort and count 10 strides until you completely flatten out (or begin going back down). Hills are going to be there – use them to your advantage, particularly in races, as most other runners will fear them and slow down, especially at the top.
Nickolas Joannidis
I have been running for over 35 years, having done practically every possible racing event or distance from the 100 meters through the marathon. I competed in varsity high school cross country and track at Saddle Brook High School in the mid-1980's, varsity cross country and track at Division II Pace University and finished well over 200 road races since then, including 20 marathons with a lifetime best of 3:14:50.
I was the president of the Hoffmann LaRoche corporate running team for 7 years, growing the team from 25 to over 90 during his tenure. I coached many of these runners to achieve their goals, whether they were beginners or advanced.
In 2011 I was an assistant coach for the Fair Lawn Recreation track team, helping the 10 to 14 year old group. I am currently personally coaching dozens of runners, from beginner levels to advanced levels and getting them to be prepared to meet their goals.
