UKC

I've finally been forced to admit that I am AWFUL at descending in the mountains - especially If wearing a pack. I am ponderously slow. What are your top tips for rapid descending without suffering a cataclysmic injury?

Thanks!

In reply to bouldery bits:

Practice fast, accurate foot placement somewhere with low consequences.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Where are your weaknesses? Strength training on these will help but time for recovery is very important. Don't do a big run with lots of downhill then start strength training these areas the following day. Do your stretches not just before and after runs but through your recovery period and roller use.
A good book for advice is "Healthy running step by step" buy it its worth it.

In reply to bouldery bits:

For me it was picking my heels up and unclipping my hips. By far my biggest strength now.

In reply to fmck:

It's a really good book.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Concentration I would say.and anticipation.I have learned to retrieve a loss of traction on greasy grassy ground.

But more importantly ,shoes that you totally ,totally trust.

I wear Inov8 Mudclaws 300s ,and I have total confidence in them .I find any Inov8s very good for stability and grip.

I have had some near horrible experiences with Speedcross 3s .and nearly breaking ankles

In reply to solostoke:


Sounds painful. As a crap descender myself, could you explain that a bit more?

In reply to bouldery bits:

I haven't read this one, but it is part of a good series of technique books from "Trailguides". Probably worth a look for a few quid.

http://www.trailguides.co.uk/downhill-techniques-for-offroad-runners/p9

In reply to bouldery bits:

Worrying about cataclysmic injury is probably your main problem. The best descenders have the ability to put that to the back of their brain.

Nick (a poor descender)

In reply to bouldery bits:

Your quote about being slower when you have a pack on suggests to me that it might be a strength issue. The stronger your legs are, the faster you can go and stay in control. If you have a few extra kg's on your back then you need to be stronger to maintain the same speed and control.

Despite how it looks, fast descenders are rarely out of control, they just choose good lines, place their feet well, and use their strong legs to maintain control. While also having confidence in their abilities.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Sounds like the most obvious advice possible but practice. Just as you'd do hill reps for the ups, you can start working the downhills too in training. Getting used to letting go, changing lines, recovering from the minor mishaps and getting it hard wired that you can go faster than you thought. Plant your feet and try to brake less - easier said than done

That said I'm a worse descender than I used to be after a string of bad ankle sprains - I can keep with people around my pace now I just tend not to make up places.

Watch the weight of the pack, it'll give you extra momentum if you're not used to it.

In reply to Ridge:
I can't remember which book I read the unclip your hips quote but if you let them go and pick your heels up more you will go quicker and also leaning forward with a forefoot strike helps rather than lean back and slip on your bum technique the slower people seem to use.
Edited to add: find a quick descender near you and go for a few runs with them

In reply to bouldery bits:

Thanks for all the advice - I will seek pit the literature and try everything. Maybe my old Adidas Swoops are finally due an upgrade - I don't trust them on wet rock.

And I need to man up and attack it!

In reply to bouldery bits:


I don't trust anything on wet rock, but Swoop have a reputation for being lethal.

In reply to solostoke:

Thanks for that.

In reply to bouldery bits:

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, probably because it's too obvious, is that it's worth practicing increasing your speed descending on more grippy surfaces. I've learned about lifting my heels and unclipping my hips on a short, safe tarmac section of one of my off-road loops, and then I apply that on the off-road sections. And, as someone else suggested, learning about when to lean forwards and when backwards has helped me. One other thought would be about concentrating on running, not on "watching" yourself running.

In reply to solostoke:

What does this mean "Unclipping my hips"

In reply to fmck:

That whole feeling of relaxing and letting your legs speed up and be almost detached from your pelvis (only mentally obviously!). I find it good to mentally remind myself to relax and let my legs speed up and carry me down.