The hill at Terra Firma may not be Heartbreak Hill, but coming at mile 18, it's sure going to feel like it.

And it probably won't be much different. Like the long, continuous Heartbreak Hill, the short, steep hills featured in the new Frederick Marathon course will take some strategy. The event is scheduled May 4.

Of course, the first is to include hill training in your long runs. If you're running the marathon, you've probably done that. Preferably, you added the hills at the end of your long runs. Training your body to tackle a steep hill when it's fatigued is the best way to adapt to the rolling hills runners will encounter starting at mile 18.

Training runs are the time to run up the hills hard, to push your body so it gets used to the pain of climbing. I like to push the pace during training, until I'm breathless. That advice doesn't hold for races, however.

According to Runners World, the best way to prep for steep hills at the end of any long race, especially a marathon, is to go out easy, much easier than you feel. This is tough advice to follow during those early miles, when you're feeling good and the miles are rolling by with ease. But that extra gas in the tank will pay off when you're still running in the last eight miles of the race.

Runners World suggests aiming for negative splits in all your training runs, to prepare your body to run when tired.

When you get to the hills during the race, however, change gears. Slow down when you climb. You'll gain back the time you lose on the downhill. In my last marathon, when I hit a series of steep hills at mile 18, much like the Frederick Marathon, I started walking as soon as my breath became labored. Plenty of people passed me as I walked to the crest. But I passed them as I ran down the other side, feeling strong and building in some reserve for those last couple of miles.

Jim and Phil Wharton, who write a column in Runners World, suggest checking your shoulders to make sure you're relaxed as you approach a hill. Often we tense up when we don't realize it, and use up valuable strength holding our shoulders up near our ears.

The Whartons also suggest kicking back a little more on the uphill if your quads feel tight. And the best part of the hill comes on the other side. Here, the Whartons suggest gliding, while feeling gravity's advantage.

To get a good view of the elevation of this year's race, and to compare it with other races you may have run, go to Map My Run, at mapmyrun.com, enter Frederick 's 21701 Zip code, and click on the Frederick Marathon route. Click off the top three options, and check the box marked display elevation.

This year's marathon has nearly reached capacity, with 1,100 runners signed up. Registration for the full and half marathon closed once, but more spots were added. The half, with 2,200 runners registered, has about 100 spots left. The full also has about 100 spots remaining. Registration is by fax only, with directions at the marathon's website, www.frederickmarathon.org.

The relay has 150 four-person teams. The Twilight 5K, which will originate at the fairgrounds, has about 600 runners registered. All four races are running well ahead of last year in terms of numbers. Two weeks before the marathon, for example, 600 runners had signed up last year for the full and 1,100 for the half.

More runners than ever, about 4,200 on race day, are expected to take to the streets for the sixth Frederick Marathon. "We've made it a big-time event," said Lee Corrigan, of Corrigan Sports, the event's manager. "I have no doubt we're going to sell out."

All four host hotels have sold out of rooms set aside for runners that weekend, Corrigan said.

Check the The Frederick News-Post website in about a week for a video of the course.

— — —

Looking ahead, the Deer Dash 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run is Saturday, May 31, at Deer Crossing Elementary School. This is the first 5K at the school and it's a benefit for the PTA. The race will start and end at the New Market school. Proceeds from the race will buy materials for the school.

There will be on site registration, but PTA officials are hoping to get pre-registrations. The race is listed on Active.com, with the key words Deer Dash. The race will start at 8:30 a.m. and registration opens at 7:30. For information, call 301-898-8939. The Deer Dash is a Steeplechasers Grand Prix run. The race entry form is also available on the Steeplechasers' website.