How Elevation Affects Your Race Strategy

Hills can decide your race. I studied the BMO course kilometer by kilometer before my personal best. Here is how to do the same with yours.

By Alex · 7 min read

Before my second BMO Vancouver Half Marathon, I studied the course elevation profile kilometer by kilometer. I knew where the hills were, how steep they were, and exactly how I would change my effort on each one.

That 55-minute improvement was not luck. Part of it was knowing the route before I got there.

The Cost of Climbing

Running uphill takes much more energy than running on the flat. Research suggests:

• 4% grade: about 15% more energy used
• 8% grade: about 30% more energy used
• Downhills: they save some energy, but they stress your muscles in a different way

So in terms of effort, a hilly race is really "longer" than a flat one.

Why I Built the Elevation Finder

The elevation tools I could find frustrated me. I wanted to see the gradient as a percentage and plan my effort, not just look at a fixed chart. Strava hides useful features. Other sites are full of ads.

So I built something that actually helps you understand your course.

Reading Elevation Profiles

When you study a course, look for:

Total Elevation Gain

The total number of feet or meters you climb. Boston has about 800 ft of climbing, while Chicago has only about 200 ft. That difference matters.

Where the Hills Are

The position of the hills matters:

• Early hills (miles 1-10): easier to handle on fresh legs
• Mid-race hills (miles 10-20): they can break your rhythm
• Late hills (miles 20+): the hardest, because your glycogen is low

How Steep They Are

A short, steep hill feels very different from a long, gentle slope. Know what is coming.

Pacing Strategies for Hills

The Effort-Based Approach

Instead of holding your pace, hold your effort:

• Uphills: slow down and keep your heart rate steady
• Downhills: let gravity help you, but do not brake too much
• Flat sections: go back to goal pace

That is what I did at BMO. Controlled effort on the hills. Disciplined pacing in the early kilometers. No panic when my watch showed slower splits on the climbs.

Time Cost Estimates

Rough guidelines for adjusting your pace:

Analyzing Your Race Course

Use our Elevation Finder to:

1. Upload the GPX file of your course
2. Look at the elevation profile
3. Find the important climbs and descents
4. Plan your strategy section by section

Training for Hills

If your goal race is hilly, your training should include:

• Hill repeats: to build strength and climb more efficiently
• Long runs with hills: to copy race conditions
• Downhill practice: to protect your quads and learn to run down under control

Major Marathon Elevation Profiles

We have detailed breakdowns for the major marathons:

• Boston Marathon - the famous Newton Hills
• New York City Marathon - five bridges and rolling ground
• Chicago Marathon - completely flat and fast
• Berlin Marathon - a flat course for personal bests

The Mental Game

Hills are as much mental as physical. These strategies help:

• Break the hill into parts - focus on reaching the next tree or corner
• Use a short phrase - "smooth and steady" or "relax and float"
• Look ahead, not down - keep your body upright
• Welcome the challenge - hills are where races are won

Key Takeaways

1. Respect the elevation. It will cost you time and energy.
2. Adjust your pace by effort, not only by the numbers
3. Know your course before race day
4. Train for the ground you will actually run on

Upload your race course to our Elevation Finder and start planning your strategy today. Knowing the course is half the job.

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