Vertical Pace and Uphill Running: How to Climb Faster on Trails

Measure vertical pace in metres per hour, know when to power hike, train climbing with or without hills, and pace long climbs on race day.

On a trail, the climbs decide how the race goes. They are where pace falls apart, where heart rate runs away, and where runners who started too fast pay for it. They are also the most trainable part of trail running. This guide covers how to measure your climbing with vertical pace (metres of ascent per hour), when to run and when to power hike, how to train for climbing with or without hills, and how to pace a long climb on race day.

Why pace per kilometre stops working on climbs

A 6:00/km pace on flat ground and the same pace on a steep grade are completely different efforts. In laboratory measurements, the energy cost of running per metre travelled rises steeply as the slope increases (Minetti et al., 2002), so on a climb your pace drops long before your effort does. That is why a watch pace screen tells you little on mountain terrain, and why most uphill fatigue comes from pacing and technique rather than a lack of fitness.

Vertical pace fixes this by measuring the work you are actually doing against gravity: metres of ascent per hour (m/h). It stays meaningful whether the gradient is 8% or 25%.

Vertical pace: how to measure it and what to do with it

The calculation. Elevation gained in metres, divided by the time spent climbing in hours. A 600 m climb in 50 minutes is 600 / 0.833 = 720 m/h. A 500 m climb in 45 minutes is 667 m/h.

Equipment. A watch with a barometric altimeter gives usable data and many show vertical speed live. GPS-only altitude is too noisy for this. If your watch does not show vertical pace, note the gain and the moving time on the climb afterwards and divide.

Find your own numbers. Do not chase a table of "good" values. Gradient, altitude, technical footing and fatigue all move m/h, so a figure that is easy on a smooth 8% fire road is out of reach on a rocky 25% slope. Instead, pick one sustained climb of 20 to 30 minutes and do it twice, a few days apart:

  • Easy aerobic: a pace where you can speak full sentences. This is the pace most of your weekly climbing should be at.
  • Hard but sustainable: comfortably hard, short sentences only, something you could hold for about 20 minutes. This is your threshold vertical pace.

Write both numbers down and repeat the test on the same climb every 8 to 12 weeks. Two uses follow straight away. First, you have an honest way to track climbing fitness that does not depend on weather or route. Second, you can plan a course: if you can sustain 400 m/h on long climbs, 2,000 m of ascent is about five hours of climbing, which is a large share of any race finish time. Our pacing planner does this arithmetic for a whole course from a GPX file.

Run or hike: where the crossover sits

This is the most useful decision on a climb, and most runners make it too late.

In a treadmill study of mountain runners, Giovanelli and colleagues found that above about 15.8 degrees of incline (roughly a 28% grade), walking costs less energy than running (Giovanelli et al., 2016). That is the point where hiking is clearly cheaper for fresh athletes. In real races the practical switch comes much earlier, because races are long, the ground is uneven and legs get tired. Many coaches and experienced ultrarunners start hiking from roughly 15 to 20% in long races. That figure is a rule of thumb from practice, not a study result, so treat it as a starting point and refine it on your own climbs.

Situation What to do
Gentle grade (up to about 8 to 10%) and you feel fresh Run, with a shorter stride
10 to 20% Depends on fitness and race length. Run if it is short and you are strong; hike if your heart rate is climbing or your running pace has dropped to a brisk walk
Above about 20 to 25% Hike, with strong form. Running here costs far more energy than it saves in time
Loose, rooty or wet technical climbing Hike at any gradient
Past roughly 60 to 70% of a long race Lower your switch point. A climb you ran at km 10 may be a hike at km 45

The simplest field rule: switch to hiking at the gradient where your running speed drops to match your hiking speed. You save energy at almost no time cost.

Technique

Running uphill. Lean slightly forward from the ankles, not the waist. Keep your chest open so you can breathe, look 3 to 5 metres ahead rather than at your feet, and keep your shoulders relaxed. Shorten your stride and use quick, light steps. Drive your elbows back, not across your body, and on steeper sections put your hands on your thighs to push.

Power hiking. Power hiking is a skill, not a rest:

  • Hinge from the ankles and hips so your weight sits over the leading foot.
  • Use short, quick, constant steps with a steady rhythm, like a metronome. Drifting into a stroll gives away the advantage.
  • Let the knee bend and drive forward; pulling a straight leg through reduces glute activation and tires you faster.
  • On steep ground, push down on your thighs with your hands. On moderate ground, swing your arms.
  • Breathe in a rhythm and keep your eyes up.

For gait-level detail on stride rate across terrain, see our cadence guide.

Poles: when they earn their weight

In a study of 14 mountain runners walking at seven inclines on a treadmill, poles reduced the vertical energy cost of walking by roughly 2 to 3% at the three steepest angles (25.4, 29.8 and 35.5 degrees), and the athletes reported lower perceived exertion on steep slopes (Giovanelli et al., 2019). A later study found that poles reduce the force on the feet during uphill walking, before and after a simulated 31 km trail race with more than 2,000 m of ascent (Giovanelli et al., 2023). The takeaway is that poles do not make you much cheaper to run, but they move work from your legs to your arms and shoulders, which matters late in long races.

Poles are worth it in races longer than a marathon, on climbs steeper than about 20 to 25%, and in the final third of any long race. They are rarely worth it for short races or mostly runnable terrain. They give no energetic advantage going downhill, only some balance. Learn the technique in training at least 6 to 8 weeks before you need it, and check your race rules, because some events restrict poles.

Training for climbing

You need three things: a strong aerobic engine, leg strength and endurance specific to climbing, and the skill of hiking well. One or two climbing-focused sessions a week is enough for most runners: one harder session and one volume session. Leave at least 48 hours between hard sessions.

Short hill sprints (power). On an 8 to 15% grade, sprint for 8 to 12 seconds (about 50 to 70 m) at full effort, then walk back down. Start with 6 and build to 10 or 12 over several weeks. The risk is low and they teach the short stride, forward lean and arm drive you need on climbs.

Uphill intervals (aerobic ceiling). 5 to 8 repeats of 3 to 5 minutes on a 10 to 15% grade at hard effort, with an easy jog or walk down as recovery. One session a week. Uphill interval training has been shown to improve running economy and performance in trained runners (Barnes et al., 2013).

Sustained climbs (threshold and endurance). 2 to 3 repeats of 15 to 20 minutes at your threshold vertical pace on a steady 6 to 10% grade, or one long climb of 45 to 90 minutes at race effort. This teaches pacing restraint, which is where most climbing races are won or lost. Every two to three weeks is enough.

Hiking repeats. Power hiking needs its own training. In the 4 to 8 weeks before a mountain race, add one hiking session a week: 5 to 8 repeats of 3 minutes on a 15 to 20% grade at the hardest effort you can sustain, walking down to recover, or a 30 to 60 minute continuous hike. Match the grade and duration to your race.

Strength. Climbing speed depends on glutes, quads, calves and core. Two sessions a week of Bulgarian split squats, weighted step-ups, single-leg deadlifts and calf raises (3 sets of 8 to 12 per leg), plus a few core exercises, will do it. Strength training improves running economy in distance runners (Blagrove et al., 2018). See our strength training guide for a full routine.

A simple 8-week climbing block

Weeks Focus Key work
1 to 2 Foundation Hill sprints twice a week (6 to 8 reps), one long run with steady climbing
3 to 4 Strength Add one uphill interval session (5 x 3 minutes), keep sprints once a week, add a step-up circuit
5 to 6 Threshold Replace one interval session with a sustained climb (2 x 12 minutes or 1 x 20 minutes), keep intervals and sprints
7 to 8 Race-specific Consecutive climbs with short recoveries, hike transitions, pole practice; reduce volume and keep intensity

How much vertical to build

Weekly ascent targets depend on your race, so scale them to the course rather than copying a number. Two rules hold at any level. Raise weekly vertical by no more than 10 to 15% from week to week, and never raise distance and vertical in the same week. In a 50K plan with about 2,000 m of gain, for example, the biggest training week reaches roughly 1,800 m (see our 50K training plan). Include a lighter week every three to four weeks, and do not neglect descents: the downhill is what makes legs sore, and poor descending gives back what climbing fitness gains. Our downhill guide covers it, and the interval training guide has more session formats.

No hills? Training for vertical on flat ground

You can build real climbing fitness without mountains. The aim is to match the effort, not copy the terrain.

  • Treadmill incline. After a 10 minute warm-up, run 4 to 6 repeats of 5 minutes at 8 to 12% with 3 minutes easy at 0 to 2%. Progress by lengthening the repeats or raising the grade, not both at once. Walking fast at 10 to 15% is good hiking practice.
  • Stairs. A multi-storey car park, stadium or tall building works. Do 20 to 40 minutes of continuous climbing, or 8 to 12 repeats of 2 to 4 flights at hard effort, and walk down.
  • Strength work. The single-leg exercises above matter even more when you have no hills.
  • Weighted vest (optional). Start with about 5% of body weight for 15 to 20 minutes inside an easy run and build over several weeks. It adds load quickly, so skip it if you are injury-prone.

What none of these give you is the eccentric load of descending or technical footing. Put some downhill practice in your week (stair descents, a decline on a treadmill if yours has one, or an outdoor run with descent) and get on real hills in the last 4 to 6 weeks before a mountain race if you can.

Pacing a long climb on race day

  • Start below target. For the first 5 to 10 minutes of a long climb, hold back. Starting a climb too hard usually costs more time later than it saves, and the first big climb of a race is where it happens most.
  • Run by effort first, numbers second. Use the vertical pace you tested as a ceiling, not a target for every climb. Your m/h will fall with heat, altitude, technical ground and accumulating fatigue, so effort (breathing, heart rate trend) is the controlling signal. Our pacing strategy guide explains how to hold effort across a whole race.
  • Check your vertical speed every few minutes. If you are well above plan, ease off; if well below, ask whether you are being cautious or something is wrong (fuel, hydration, heat).
  • Use climbs to eat and drink. You are moving slowly, so it is the easiest place to fuel.
  • Save your quads. Pushing too hard uphill is how runners arrive at the descent with nothing left.

Common mistakes

  • Starting climbs well above sustainable effort.
  • Running grades that should be hiked, then paying for it in the final third.
  • Training climbs only with short, hard repeats and skipping the long steady ones.
  • Ramping vertical too quickly and getting Achilles or patellar tendon pain.
  • Ignoring descending.
  • Carrying poles on race day that you never practised with.

Key takeaways

  • Vertical pace (metres per hour of climbing) is the cleanest way to judge and plan climbing effort. Test it on a sustained climb every 8 to 12 weeks.
  • Walking is cheaper than running above about a 28% grade in the lab; in long races, hiking from roughly 15 to 20% is a sensible starting rule, lower when tired or on technical ground.
  • Train climbing with sprints, uphill intervals and sustained climbs, add hiking repeats before mountain races, and strength train twice a week.
  • Poles reduce leg load rather than energy cost; they are worth it for long races and steep climbs, if you practise first.
  • Without hills, use treadmill incline, stairs and single-leg strength, and keep some descent work in your week.
  • On race day, start climbs conservatively and manage effort rather than chasing a number.

Citations

Barnes, K. R., Hopkins, W. G., McGuigan, M. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2013). Effects of different uphill interval-training programs on running economy and performance. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 8(6), 639-647.

Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: a systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117-1149.

Giovanelli, N., Ortiz, A. L. R., Henninger, K., & Kram, R. (2016). Energetics of vertical kilometer foot races; is steeper cheaper? Journal of Applied Physiology, 120(3), 370-375.

Giovanelli, N., Sulli, M., Kram, R., & Lazzer, S. (2019). Do poles save energy during steep uphill walking? European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(7), 1557-1563.

Giovanelli, N., Pellegrini, B., Bortolan, L., Mari, L., Schena, F., & Lazzer, S. (2023). Do poles really save the legs during uphill pole walking at different intensities? European Journal of Applied Physiology, 123(12), 2803-2812.

Minetti, A. E., Moia, C., Roi, G. S., Susta, D., & Ferretti, G. (2002). Energy cost of walking and running at extreme uphill and downhill slopes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 93(3), 1039-1046.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is vertical pace in trail running?

Vertical pace is how fast you gain elevation, measured in metres (or feet) of ascent per hour. It describes the work you are doing against gravity, so it stays meaningful whether the gradient is 8% or 25%, which minutes per kilometre does not.

How do I calculate elevation gain per hour?

Divide the elevation you gained in metres by the time you spent climbing in hours. A 600 m climb in 50 minutes is 600 divided by 0.833, or 720 m/h. Watches with a barometric altimeter show vertical speed live; if yours does not, note the gain and moving time afterwards. GPS-only altitude is too noisy for this.

What is a good vertical pace?

It depends on fitness, gradient, altitude and how technical the ground is, so a single benchmark is not very useful. Find your own numbers by climbing the same 20 to 30 minute hill twice, once at an easy conversational effort and once at a comfortably hard one, and retest every 8 to 12 weeks. Track how those figures change rather than comparing yourself with others.

At what gradient should I switch from running to power hiking?

In a treadmill study, walking cost less energy than running above about 15.8 degrees of incline (roughly a 28% grade) for fresh athletes. In real races the switch comes earlier because of fatigue and uneven ground, and many experienced runners start hiking from about 15 to 20% in long races. Treat that as a rule of thumb and switch where your running speed drops to match your hiking speed.

Is power hiking faster than running uphill?

On steep ground, often yes, or close enough that the energy saved is worth any time lost. Above roughly 20 to 25%, running costs far more energy than it gains in speed, and over a long race the runners who hike early tend to slow less in the final third. On gentle grades, running is still faster.

Do trekking poles help uphill?

They reduce the load on your legs more than they reduce energy cost. A study of mountain runners found poles lowered the vertical energy cost of walking by about 2 to 3% at the steepest angles tested, and a later study found they reduced the force through the feet before and after a simulated 31 km trail race. They are most useful in races longer than a marathon and on climbs steeper than about 20 to 25%. Practise with them for 6 to 8 weeks first, and check your race rules.

What is the best way to train for uphill trail running?

Combine short hill sprints for power, uphill intervals of 3 to 5 minutes for your aerobic ceiling, and sustained climbs of 15 to 20 minutes or longer at threshold effort for endurance. Add hiking repeats in the 4 to 8 weeks before a mountain race and two strength sessions a week. One or two climbing sessions a week is enough for most runners.

Can I get better at climbing without hills?

Yes. Treadmill incline intervals at 8 to 12%, stair repeats, fast walking at 10 to 15% incline and single-leg strength work all build climbing fitness. They do not replace descending or technical footing, so add some downhill practice and get on real hills in the last 4 to 6 weeks before a mountain race if you can.

How much weekly elevation gain should I build?

Scale it to your race rather than copying a number. Raise weekly vertical by no more than 10 to 15% from one week to the next, never raise distance and vertical in the same week, and include a lighter week every three to four weeks. In our 50K plan with about 2,000 m of race gain, the biggest training week reaches roughly 1,800 m.

Why does my heart rate spike so much on climbs?

Climbing costs much more energy per kilometre than flat running, so your heart rate rises quickly, and it keeps rising if you hold your flat-ground pace. Slow down, shorten your stride and switch to power hiking when your breathing or heart rate runs away. Judge the effort by feel and by how it trends, not by one reading.

Which muscles matter most for climbing?

Glutes, quads and calves do most of the work, with the core keeping you stable. Bulgarian split squats, weighted step-ups, single-leg deadlifts and calf raises, twice a week, cover them. Single-leg exercises match the demands of climbing best.

How should I pace a long climb in a race?

Start below your target for the first 5 to 10 minutes, hold effort rather than a fixed metres-per-hour number, and expect that number to fall with heat, altitude, technical ground and fatigue. Use climbs to eat and drink, and hike early rather than late so you reach the descent with legs left.