How to train on a treadmill

Training on a treadmill, while not a silver bullet, is undeniably great for certain types of workouts. Particularly in the winter when temperatures drop very low, or when rainy weather makes the ground less stable and safe. A strength training workout at the gym (for those who are members of a fitness club) can also be a good opportunity to some warmups on a treadmill.

 

A few tips:

- Runners who are more susceptible to Achilles tendinitis should run at a 1% incline to protect their tendons. Keeping the treadmill at a slight incline also helps level the playing field compared with running outside.

- One of the advantages of running on a treadmill is that it allows you to stay hydrated very easily. So take care to hydrate regularly, especially during workouts that last longer than 45 minutes and are in a confined space (gym or home). This will help you get into the habit of taking a drink without stopping your run (much more so than when running outdoors).

- But be careful not to get addicted to treadmill only runs. Running should primarily be done outdoors, with plenty of variety in your routes to keep it from becoming monotonous.

Besides being great for cooling down with a slow jog after a workout (often while listening to music), treadmills can also help you hit much more ambitious targets.~~Some examples:

- Interval training. Similar to workouts on a running track, interval training on a treadmill allows you to alternate between periods of intense effort and periods of recovery. Focus on required effort rather than distance run (for greater precision), and be sure to stay alert to the treadmill's changes in speed.~The advantage of a treadmill is that it keeps your running speed constant during each interval. This keeps the session as a whole balanced.~ 

- Training sessions. When preparing for a 10K run, half-marathon, or full marathon, it's important to be able to memorize the target pace that you need to run at to reach your time goals. On a treadmill, there are no changes in pace and this helps provide you with a better quality workout.

The advantage of a treadmill is that it keeps the amount of required effort constant as you are free of any obstacles (stop lights, intersections, etc) or changes in the terrain.

 

- Sloped interval training. The benefit of the treadmill is that it ensures your effort is evenly spread out along a regular incline. Be sure not to set the incline too high; it's best to keep it at or under 6%. Better to increase the running time or number of repetitions than to run on too steep of an incline.

The advantage of the treadmill: unlike outdoor running sessions, you skip the downhill phases which put more stress on the tendons and quadriceps. Put the treadmill into a neutral incline position during the cool-down.

 

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