Running Fell, Trail and Mountain running tips from Buzz Burrell, a top runner and manager of the LaSportiva Mountain Running Team

What are your tips for running uphill?

1. The mental game is huge! If you think you're bad at it, you will be. Be positive, embrace the uphill.
2. Note that uphill running is by far the easiest on your body! There is almost no impact, and the cadence is low. You will never get hurt running uphill, so relax and enjoy it!
3. The best suggestion for running uphill is the best technique for running downhill, for running flat, for running long, for running short: turnover, turnover, turnover. Don't lunge, keep your stride short and quick. Same as Lance Armstrong on a bicycle: use a lower gear and a higher cadence.
4. Just focus on lifting your knees; the rest of your leg stays relaxed and will follow.
5. Hunching over doesn't help either. Stay upright, lead with your chest, keep the steps short and quick. If it's a short, steep hill, swinging your arms can help.

What are your tips for running technical downhill effectively?

A fast, technical descent definitely separates the real trail runners from the road runners. A fit road runner can compete effectively on uphill courses, as running uphill primarily requires great cardiovascular output, but downhills are a different matter ... they require skill. Some would say daring. Here are my tips:

• Relax: You're probably not going to get killed. Getting uptight ruins your form which doesn't improve your chances.
• Enjoy: "Joy" is an incredibly effective learning mechanism! Your body will learn what it needs to do when you open your senses and attitude with happiness.
• Form: Good form is always the same: don't overstride. Let your foot touch down under you instead of in front of you. Keep the tempo up and the stride short.
• Don't trip: When you practice the above three, avoiding rocks becomes natural and easy. Time will improve your ability to run tricky trails more than thinking about it will.
• Braking
The ideal downhill trail running technique, of course, is the same as for all running: don't put on the brakes with each stride. This is much easier said than done. But keep it in mind&mdahs;don't overstride, land with your feet under instead of in front of you, keep the turnover high. On very steep terrain, it is natural and unavoidable to use your quads and brake a little with each step. Don't worry about it (you'll pay for it the next day however).