Training
How to train for the Mokola hills
Three sessions a week that make the climb at kilometre 27 feel kinder.
Coaching team · 5 minute read
Ask anyone who ran the 2026 marathon about kilometre 27 and they will pull a face. The climb out of Mokola is only 46 metres, but it comes when legs are tired and the sun is up.
The good news: hills are trainable, and you do not need a mountain. Ibadan has plenty of short, steep streets. Three sessions a week will do it.
Session one: hill repeats
Find a hill that takes about 60 to 90 seconds to run up. Run up at a hard but steady effort, jog back down, and repeat six times. Build to ten over six weeks. Mokola Hill itself is perfect on a Tuesday evening.
The time you lose going up, you get back on the long descent into Dugbe.
Session two: the long run with a sting
Plan your Sunday long run so the hilliest section comes in the last third. It teaches your body and mind to climb when tired, which is exactly what race day asks.
Session three: strength
Twice a week, ten minutes of squats, lunges, calf raises and step-ups. Stronger legs climb better and fall apart less on the way down.
On race day, shorten your stride on the climb, keep your arms moving, and let your pace drop a little. The time you lose going up, you get back on the long descent into Dugbe.