It's a horrid climb, for sure: not afraid to punish even the best.
It's a horrid climb, for sure: not afraid to punish even the best.
Not even close. Whitney Portal at Badwater.
233232 wrote:
It's a horrid climb, for sure: not afraid to punish even the best.
it definitely hurt
Walking a hill can't be as heard as running flat-out up HartBrake!
233232 wrote:
It's a horrid climb, for sure: not afraid to punish even the best.
It obvious you don't live in Eugene.
I suppose it could be, for a narrow definition of "elite running". It's the hardest climb in a WMM, and probably harder than any one hill on a world XC course; the only other "elite" running is done on the track; so, sure. Call it the most demanding climb in all of elite running. You are hereby allowed.
Not really an elite race (anymore), but "the hill" in the Berwick Run for the Diamonds is a bear.
I had no idea what it would be like even though I had been warned that there was a really big hill.
The Hakone Ekiden 5th Stage has over 850 m of nonstop climb between 5 km and 20 km. Somewhat demanding and elite.
Heartbreak Hill isn't even the most demanding climb on the Boston course; it's the most famous.
Ackley wrote:
Not really an elite race (anymore), but "the hill" in the Berwick Run for the Diamonds is a bear.
I had no idea what it would be like even though I had been warned that there was a really big hill.
I thought I was a great hill runner. Running up that mountain was something else though.. It reduced me to 8 minute miles when I averaged 5:22 for the whole race.
The up Comrades Marathon in South Africa must get a mention if for climbing hill while going uphill..
233232 wrote:
It's a horrid climb, for sure: not afraid to punish even the best.
In 2008, I wrote an article for Runners World magazine on the 10 most significant hills in road running. I took into account the physical features of the hills themselves, where they come within races, and what had happened there historically.
I confined my list to road races; there are much more difficult climbs in trail races... David Monti
#1: Heartbreak Hill
Where: Boston Marathon, April 20, 2009
Where It Hits: It’s actually the fourth of the “Newton Hills,” beginning just past the 20 mile mark at Grant Avenue
How Long, How Hard: 0.66 miles, rising 89 feet. Not especially steep (average grade of 4.5%), but comes late in the race after three hills.
#2: Hayes Street Hill
Where: ING Bay to Breakers 12-K, San Francisco, Calif., May 17, 2009
Where It Hits: At the 2 mile mark at Franklin Street
How Long, How Hard: 0.69 miles, rising 201 feet. Very steep. The average grade is 5.5%, but the steepest portion, between Fillmore and Steiner Streets, features an 11.2% grade.
#3: Queensborough Bridge
Where: ING New York City Marathon, New York, N.Y., November 2, 2008
Where It Hits: Just before the 15 mile mark.
How Long, How Hard: 0.75 miles, rising 110 feet. Steady grade, not too steep
#4: Doomsday Hill
Where: Lilac Bloomsday 12-K (7.45 mi.), Spokane, Wash., May 4, 2008
When It Hits: After you cross the T.J. Meenach Bridge, at about 4.75 miles
How Long, How Hard: 0.72 miles, rising 145 feet, a 6.5% grade after a steep downhill
#5: Mt. Washington Auto Road
Where: Mt. Washington Road Race 7.65 miles, Gorham, N.H., June 20, 2009
Where It Hits: Less than a quarter mile into the race
How Long, How Hard: 7.4 miles, rising 4650 feet, an average 12% grade and a 20% grade over the last 50 yards
#6: Cardiac Hill
Where: Peachtree Road Race 10-K, Atlanta, Ga., July 4, 2009
When It Hits: At 2.8 miles after you cross Peachtree Creek
How Long, How Hard: 0.70 miles, rising 113 feet, following two miles of downhills
#7: Hospital Hill
Where: Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, Kansas City, Mo., June 6, 2009
When It Hits: Only 0.75 miles into the race
How Long, How Hard: 1.25 miles, rising 185 feet, especially challenging because of the hills that follow
#8: Gallows Lane
Where: Litchfield Hills Road Race (7 Miles), Litchfield, Conn., June 14, 2009
When It Hits: At 6 miles
How Long, How Hard: 0.3 miles, rising 145 feet; short but extremely steep
#9: Diamond Head Avenue
Where: Honolulu Marathon, Honolulu, Hi., December 14, 2008
When It Hits: In the first half, just past 7 miles; In the second half, at 23.5 miles
How Long, How Hard: In first half, about 1 mile, rising 100 feet; in the second half about 1.4 miles, rising 105 feet.
#10: Hurricane Point
Where: Big Sur International Marathon, Big Sur to Carmel, Calif., April 26, 2009
When It Hits: At 9.8 miles
How Long, How Hard: 2.2 miles, rising 520 feet, extremely difficult, expect to slow by as much as a minute per mile
What about the Easley hill at heart of America?
I ran up that hill (slowly)shortly before the half way point. I even passed a guy that was walking. He eventually finished ahead of me by nearly 20 minutes. Maybe I'll walk part of that one next year.
Elites stay away from this small race, but it does have a nice history to go with it.
Curious how you calculated average grade for Heartbreak. There must be a typo in there.
David Monti. wrote:
#1: Heartbreak Hill
Where: Boston Marathon, April 20, 2009
Where It Hits: It’s actually the fourth of the “Newton Hills,” beginning just past the 20 mile mark at Grant Avenue
How Long, How Hard: 0.66 miles, rising 89 feet. Not especially steep (average grade of 4.5%), but comes late in the race after three hills.
89/3485=.026
3485*.045*.66=157
oops that second one should be 3485*.045 (5280*66=3485).
David Monti. wrote:
I confined my list to road races; there are much more difficult climbs in trail races... David Monti
Good thing you signed this post. We would have had no idea who you were otherwise.
-Pizzaguy
Pizzaguy wrote:
David Monti. wrote:I confined my list to road races; there are much more difficult climbs in trail races... David Monti
Good thing you signed this post. We would have had no idea who you were otherwise.
-Pizzaguy
Dave Monti is a very well travelled and very well respected member of the Road Racing scene. By signing his post he is simply showing who he is and thus adding a lot of credibility to his list. This guy has been on hundreds of courses, he knows what he is talking about.
I would not for a moment consider Heartbreak Hill to be the most demanding climb in road racing. Sorry Dave, you're way off on that one.
San Blas Half Marathon
When I ran the Boston Marathon, I couldn't even tell I was on a hill when I was on Heartbreak. And I'm NOT a great hill runner.