Vertical Running
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Mountain running, extreme fatigue, very high intensity. The ideal cocktail for a physical effort that is truly at the limit is all in vertical running.
What do we mean by vertical?
We are talking about uphill running, generally in the mountains, on courses that allow a really significant elevation gain while covering only a small number of kilometres. To be precise, if we wanted to use the official race terminology, we should speak of the "Vertical Kilometer": competitions in which you climb 1000m of elevation over a distance of no more than 5km.
As you can well imagine, this is running on courses with truly demanding gradients, in places even at the limits of the laws of physics. Sections so steep that at some points you even have to use your hands and literally "run on all fours" just to keep climbing.
As with so many other endurance sports built on effort and sacrifice, you might wonder what makes such an effort so attractive to the ever-growing number of athletes who take on the now very many events of this kind on the calendar. The answer may seem obvious but is absolutely fundamental for athletes and enthusiasts alike: variety, doing something new.
A race like this certainly offers something out of the ordinary while remaining within high-altitude endurance, which is extremely interesting for mountain lovers but also for all the city runners who want to escape the monotony of Sunday races. It is also attractive to other athletes who, perhaps for training purposes, use this particular type of competition to gain a performance advantage in other disciplines, such as winter sports, MTB or road running itself.
From a physical point of view the race is simple. Give everything, push as hard as you can from the very first metres and for the whole duration of the effort, trying to pace your strength and energy so as to reach the finish having given it all. The body will have to draw on its most refined energy reserves, namely carbohydrates, while necessarily relying on a good aerobic base. In training, therefore, do not worry about excessive mileage, but rather about varied training stimuli.
Finishing times, although certainly not a matter of a few minutes as they would be for 5km races on the flat, will still not be very long, especially for the most advanced athletes. The brevity, and above all the high intensity, of the effort will make it essential to be able to cope with high concentrations of lactic acid in the muscles, and more besides.
In these races, in fact, altitude starts to become a factor, especially in some of them. A body that, from a haematological point of view, tolerates low amounts of oxygen well will certainly be at an advantage. For this reason, acclimatisation to altitude will be essential, especially in races held above 1500m above sea level, and should take place within 3-5 days before the race.
Just a brief mention of the importance of the athlete's weight: as you can intuitively understand, lighter athletes will be favoured. People with a heavy build, weighing more than 80kg, are certainly at a disadvantage compared with lean physiques; short, compact athletes with low body weight, for whom short levers, general agility and above all a better power-to-weight ratio are the source of greater effectiveness and efficiency, will certainly have the edge.
Training for this type of effort means being very well trained in basic endurance but also very well prepared in specific strength, improving precisely the power-to-weight ratio, which is truly of enormous importance. In training you should concentrate on methods such as short climbs at sub-maximal speed and/or gym exercises with moderate loads but performed fairly explosively and with a fair number of repetitions per set. Include these sessions once or twice a week, alternating and varying them, perhaps interspersed with lactic sessions on the flat, and you will see great results.
On race day, leave nothing to chance. Start with a good supply of energy but without risking a completely unnecessary heavy feeling: eating more will not stop fatigue or any dips in energy; rather, it is by eating badly, eating too much or, far more so, by not being athletically prepared that you run a serious risk. Have a very light last meal no later than 3 hours before the start and, if in doubt, a fast-acting gel ten minutes before you set off.
Don't forget to warm up really well before the start! The race is uphill from the very first metre!
What do we mean by vertical?
We are talking about uphill running, generally in the mountains, on courses that allow a really significant elevation gain while covering only a small number of kilometres. To be precise, if we wanted to use the official race terminology, we should speak of the "Vertical Kilometer": competitions in which you climb 1000m of elevation over a distance of no more than 5km.
As you can well imagine, this is running on courses with truly demanding gradients, in places even at the limits of the laws of physics. Sections so steep that at some points you even have to use your hands and literally "run on all fours" just to keep climbing.
As with so many other endurance sports built on effort and sacrifice, you might wonder what makes such an effort so attractive to the ever-growing number of athletes who take on the now very many events of this kind on the calendar. The answer may seem obvious but is absolutely fundamental for athletes and enthusiasts alike: variety, doing something new.
A race like this certainly offers something out of the ordinary while remaining within high-altitude endurance, which is extremely interesting for mountain lovers but also for all the city runners who want to escape the monotony of Sunday races. It is also attractive to other athletes who, perhaps for training purposes, use this particular type of competition to gain a performance advantage in other disciplines, such as winter sports, MTB or road running itself.
From a physical point of view the race is simple. Give everything, push as hard as you can from the very first metres and for the whole duration of the effort, trying to pace your strength and energy so as to reach the finish having given it all. The body will have to draw on its most refined energy reserves, namely carbohydrates, while necessarily relying on a good aerobic base. In training, therefore, do not worry about excessive mileage, but rather about varied training stimuli.
Finishing times, although certainly not a matter of a few minutes as they would be for 5km races on the flat, will still not be very long, especially for the most advanced athletes. The brevity, and above all the high intensity, of the effort will make it essential to be able to cope with high concentrations of lactic acid in the muscles, and more besides.
In these races, in fact, altitude starts to become a factor, especially in some of them. A body that, from a haematological point of view, tolerates low amounts of oxygen well will certainly be at an advantage. For this reason, acclimatisation to altitude will be essential, especially in races held above 1500m above sea level, and should take place within 3-5 days before the race.
Just a brief mention of the importance of the athlete's weight: as you can intuitively understand, lighter athletes will be favoured. People with a heavy build, weighing more than 80kg, are certainly at a disadvantage compared with lean physiques; short, compact athletes with low body weight, for whom short levers, general agility and above all a better power-to-weight ratio are the source of greater effectiveness and efficiency, will certainly have the edge.
Training for this type of effort means being very well trained in basic endurance but also very well prepared in specific strength, improving precisely the power-to-weight ratio, which is truly of enormous importance. In training you should concentrate on methods such as short climbs at sub-maximal speed and/or gym exercises with moderate loads but performed fairly explosively and with a fair number of repetitions per set. Include these sessions once or twice a week, alternating and varying them, perhaps interspersed with lactic sessions on the flat, and you will see great results.
On race day, leave nothing to chance. Start with a good supply of energy but without risking a completely unnecessary heavy feeling: eating more will not stop fatigue or any dips in energy; rather, it is by eating badly, eating too much or, far more so, by not being athletically prepared that you run a serious risk. Have a very light last meal no later than 3 hours before the start and, if in doubt, a fast-acting gel ten minutes before you set off.
Don't forget to warm up really well before the start! The race is uphill from the very first metre!