Running on treadmills is boring

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RandilovestoRun
RandilovestoRun Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Any tips for longer distance running? I can't seem to stay on the treadmill for more than 20 minutes, if I'm jogging/running I get tired and need to stop if I'm walking I just get plain bored lol. Any tips so I can stay on the treadmill longer?? I would love for 3 miles to be my normal run. Can't seem to get past 2 miles and that's like a good run for me.
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  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Run outside?

    For me the only thing that helps on the treadmill is to run intervals. I am playing more attention to the time left in the interval than I am to how long I've been on.
  • jenmar222
    jenmar222 Posts: 9,271 Member
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    Do intervals (periods of lower and higher intensity)
    Mess around with the incline
    Listen to music
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    Things that keep me from getting bored on the treadmill:

    1. Good, motivating music
    2. A TV to stare at at the gym
    3. Intervals. I started out with C25K and now I run 3-4 miles at a time. If I find myself getting bored, I'll crank up the speed a bit.

  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
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    I've started watching "The Walking Dead" on my phone while I'm on the treadmill. Really helps pass the time! I'm pretty coordinated, though. If you're one of those people who can't read or watch tv while on the treadmill, this won't work for you.
  • RandilovestoRun
    RandilovestoRun Posts: 26 Member
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    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    I've started watching "The Walking Dead" on my phone while I'm on the treadmill. Really helps pass the time! I'm pretty coordinated, though. If you're one of those people who can't read or watch tv while on the treadmill, this won't work for you.
    Love this! I sometimes listen to podcasts and that helps the time pass a little better than music.
  • daweasel
    daweasel Posts: 68 Member
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    I can run 10-20km outside with no worries but I always get bored on the treadmill. I usually last about 10-20 minutes at steady state and then I start messing around.

    My favourite "game" to play is every 30s (or pick whatever interval you like, could be distance, could be time) I increase the incline by whatever the smallest increment is, or the speed by 0.1, or alternate increasing the speed then increasing the incline. It takes the focus off "god how long have I been on here?! This is boring as!" and more to watching the time to increase it, and then when you feel like you can't up it much more, how long can you hold it? It also breaks it down in to "okay, just 30s to go" and then "okay, just 30s to go"...etc. Sometimes I've gotten to a speed and incline that if someone said "okay, go and hop on the treadmill and run at this setting" I would have gone "haha no way you've got to be kidding", it's nice to push yourself and see what you can do sometimes :)

    If you find that's too much, you can always do increase-increase-decrease, or even increase-increase-decrease-decrease, but I find because I'm ramping it up so slowly it's okay.

    And then once you do pull the pin and stop or reduce it, try to stay on for another 5 minutes or so at an easy pace, partly to cool down but partly to try and add a little more distance if that's what you're trying to do.

    You can also try different kinds of intervals. I like pyramid sets, but if you google "treadmill intervals" or something I'm sure you'll find options
  • lauranewman130
    lauranewman130 Posts: 36 Member
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    Intervals!!! Speed play! Make a goal to get stronger and faster ! If running a longer period of time is boring to you then why make it a goal? You might enjoy shorter and more intense. And intervals can help you reach to 3 miles in 30 minutes. (10 minute mile) Makes it much more fun and interesting. Check out the app SPRING. Plays music at tempos that coordinate with your pace. You can do intervals too. I love it.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    randileethomas wrote: »
    Any tips for longer distance running? I can't seem to stay on the treadmill for more than 20 minutes, if I'm jogging/running I get tired and need to stop if I'm walking I just get plain bored lol. Any tips so I can stay on the treadmill longer?? I would love for 3 miles to be my normal run. Can't seem to get past 2 miles and that's like a good run for me.

    Why can't you run outside. I agree with a lot of the posters it's boring on a treadmill and there's no motivation. When I'm outside I can walk different routes and change my scenery. I'm not a runner because of knee issue so I walk but I am a swimmer. Swimming is the ultimate boring workout. You don't see anything but Blue Water.
    The way I mentally beat the boredom of swimming is to break up my routines into different distances and strokes
  • 5BeautifulDays
    5BeautifulDays Posts: 683 Member
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    Outside is best, but if bad weather puts me on the treadmill for a longer run I need a tv show or movie to keep from going crazy. I can get a nice little run in while watching my favorite 45 minute to 1-hour show on Netflix, and a two-hour movie makes a good long run while half marathon training. :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Go outside...cardio equipment in general is boring as *kitten*...go outside! It's beautiful out there....

    I end up using a stationary bike a couple times per week...I hate it...I'd much rather be out on my actual bike taking in the world around me.
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
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    Go Outside and do intervals. Run for X distance then walk for X time and repeat. As you're getting more comfortable then move the interval to longer sessions.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I put the treadmill in front of a television and watch something.
  • emilycat214
    emilycat214 Posts: 84 Member
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    I walk on the treadmill, but have the same problem with boredom. I use the Zombies, Run app. It's fun.
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    I don't run ... on anything ... but a good friend runs on a treadmill and watches Netflix while doing so. Or listens to books on her iPod.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
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    Get off the dreadmill and run outside.
  • jennieprieto
    jennieprieto Posts: 2 Member
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    randileethomas wrote: »
    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    I've started watching "The Walking Dead" on my phone while I'm on the treadmill. Really helps pass the time! I'm pretty coordinated, though. If you're one of those people who can't read or watch tv while on the treadmill, this won't work for you.
    Love this! I sometimes listen to podcasts and that helps the time pass a little better than music.

    Try audiobooks too. But this would only work for me if I'm just walking/brisk walking. But I'll give this a try again in running. Thanks!
  • BudhiRooh
    BudhiRooh Posts: 89 Member
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    yes, for me using treadmill is a dreading task ... I prefer to walk / jog outside ... Much much better than treadmill at gym !
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Is boring!! Get outside!!
  • SwindonJogger
    SwindonJogger Posts: 325 Member
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    if you have an ipad then Runsocial enables you to run alongside other runners from around the world on virtual locations. Tim Peake ran the London Marathon in space using Runsocial.

  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 339 Member
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    I've got my treadmill set-up in our home cinema room, which helps a lot. As others have also said, I also find doing intervals can help. Still much prefer running outside though.

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