Hill training in the prairies? No Problem!

Okay so we know that incorporating hills into our training sessions is a great way to build endurance, strength and speed; there’s no need for debate here. But not all of us love it. Like me. As I write about hills, I am whining in my head about how I don’t want to do it. My go to excuse not to participate in this exhausting workout is that there is nowhere good to run hills in Winnipeg. Well. I think we can all agree that isn’t true. So in an effort to dispel my (and possibly your) excuses not to benefit from this workout, here are five easy, local places to get your sweat on. I hope they motivate you to find your new fast.

Garbage Hill: The obvious answer that comes to mind for us all, Garbage Hill (aka Westview Park) is conveniently located just north of Polo Park (and as our 5K Beer Runners know, is conveniently located next to Oxus Brewing). There are a range of workouts you can complete depending on the challenge you are looking for – check out See Mike Run’s post from 2011 with a great list of options to conquer Garbage Hill.

Van Wallegham Park: Here’s my contribution to the list as this is a go to for my lunchtime runs.   Connected to the lovely running trails in the middle of Lindenwoods, this hill lends itself to a quick loop with a steeper run up one side and a more sloping one down the other. Create your own little workout and make great use of this hidden gem.

Civic Park Hill: Located in between Gateway and Concordia (a stone’s throw from Concordia Hospital), Civic Park has a nice trail through the two hills it features. Go off trail to make the best use of these little elevations.

Victoria Jason Park: Located just off Redonda in South Transcona, this little hill may not have a formal trail, but this decent hill will still get your heart going with intervals up its sides.