Treadmill Run!

nickybr38

So I hate the treadmill. It's my least favorite piece of gym equipment. I feel like I have to work 10X as hard to get my heartrate up on the treadmill then I do on the elliptical or stairmaster or any other piece of equipment really and then I have to work 20x as hard to KEEP it up. Today, however, I decided I wanted to get on the treadmill.

50 minutes later I had worked myself up into a sweat lather and I felt really damned good. Only 380 calories burned but I worked HARD to burn them.

I discovered two things while on the treadmill today... 1. When I turn the speed up I just want to run but I'm really, really scared to run! I had a bad experience in my teens where running led to this weird heart attack thingie (NOT an actual heart attack my heart just freaked out and started beating really fast, and my legs dropped out from beneath me... It was pretty scary! And even though my hearts been tested NUMEROUS times I'm still a little scared to run even though I used to LOVE running)2. I like constantly challenging myself.

So I've decided I want to run! On the treadmill. I need to overcome this fear and do what I used to love so much! I was the fastest runner in my school way back in the day and would spend hours just running... I miss that feeling. :frown:

A long time ago I found these workout plans online that build you up to running, but I can't find them anymore. ): They did things like have you walk slow for a bit, fast for a bit, run for a bit and then back to slow, fast, run. Do you guys know of any plans like that which could build me up to running?

Any help would be hugely appreciated. :happy: I'll keep trying to look for myself too but my goal is to be able to run like I used to! and I think the treadmill can help me reach that goal.

:flowerforyou:

nickybr38

So I hate the treadmill. It's my least favorite piece of gym equipment. I feel like I have to work 10X as hard to get my heartrate up on the treadmill then I do on the elliptical or stairmaster or any other piece of equipment really and then I have to work 20x as hard to KEEP it up. Today, however, I decided I wanted to get on the treadmill.

50 minutes later I had worked myself up into a sweat lather and I felt really damned good. Only 380 calories burned but I worked HARD to burn them.

I discovered two things while on the treadmill today... 1. When I turn the speed up I just want to run but I'm really, really scared to run! I had a bad experience in my teens where running led to this weird heart attack thingie (NOT an actual heart attack my heart just freaked out and started beating really fast, and my legs dropped out from beneath me... It was pretty scary! And even though my hearts been tested NUMEROUS times I'm still a little scared to run even though I used to LOVE running)2. I like constantly challenging myself.

So I've decided I want to run! On the treadmill. I need to overcome this fear and do what I used to love so much! I was the fastest runner in my school way back in the day and would spend hours just running... I miss that feeling. :frown:

A long time ago I found these workout plans online that build you up to running, but I can't find them anymore. ): They did things like have you walk slow for a bit, fast for a bit, run for a bit and then back to slow, fast, run. Do you guys know of any plans like that which could build me up to running?

Any help would be hugely appreciated. :happy: I'll keep trying to look for myself too but my goal is to be able to run like I used to! and I think the treadmill can help me reach that goal.

:flowerforyou:

Phoenix_Rising

www.coolrunning.com


I love this program as an out of shape asthmatic smoker trying to learn to run :bigsmile:

lpadilla75

www.coolrunning.com

Check out the cool running website. I did the Couch to 5k (C25K) program last winter and ran my first 5k last Spring. It is a very easy program to follow.

Good luck!

nickybr38

This is exactly what I was talking about! WHOOT WHOOT!

My heroine. :blushing: :happy:

neeterskeeter

Good luck. I actually enjoy running the treadmill for the following reasons:

1) I don't have to worry about the weather outside or whether it's dark or light etc.
2) I don't have to worry about cars or other runners/walkers/bikers etc. in my way.
3) I feel that it's much safer for me as a woman and I'm really glad I don't have to worry about annoying guys heckling me from their cars or whether any guys are following me, etc. (I have a big, mean looking but actually nice dog that I take with me on road runs for this very reason)
4) I can listen to my iPod without worrying that it's dangerous because of cars
5) I don't have to worry about where I'm going and if I'm getting lost! (I am really directionally challenged!)
6) My gym has TVs on the wall as well as personal TVs on some of the treadmills (I always try to snag those) and the time goes much faster for me if I can watch TV while I run
7) Training-wise, I feel like the treadmill makes me run faster and pay attention to my distance and pace. When I'm running on the road, I have a tendency to be lazy and get distracted etc. For some reason I am much better at working out harder on the treadmill, which makes me focus.
8) For me it seems more convenient to go with my gym back to run on the treadmill at the gym (which happens to be right across the street from my office) and then do any strength/ toning exercises right there, then go all the way home and find clothes and change and then go to the gym to do strength training etc. In my head it's a lot faster to just head to the gym, for some weird reason.
9) I really like to do different training runs on the treadmill, which I make up myself based on past programs I've used. It seems to me to be easier to do these work outs on a treadmill then when I'm having to pay attention to traffic, the path, the weather, my dog, etc. I'm an experienced runner so I don't know if these are the kind of programs you're intrested in, but here's what I do on the treadmill:

- Pace runs: I aim for a certain pace (say, 9 minutes per mile) and try to run a small amount of miles, like 2 or 3, at that pace on the treadmill. The next week, I will increase the mileage at the same pace. I do this until I can run about 10 miles at that pace, before I run a half marathon, or about 15 miles at that pace until I run a marathon. (Any more miles than 15 I do outside, and slower than my goal pace, so as not to get injured).

- Interval speed work: I warm up with a jog for a mile and then I start alternating every other .25 mile increment. I'll do one .25 interval at a certain "fast" pace -- say 8:34 minutes per mile (which is speed 7 on the treadmill) and then do a recovery interval at a jogging pace, say 11 minutes per mile (which is speed 5.5 on the treadmill). I will do 8 intervals of each, then I'll have a cool down jog for another mile or so. This really helps me get faster during races, gets my heart rate up, and improves my overall fitness.

- Hills: Same things as with intervals, except I'll run at a certain incline -- say, 7 -- for .25 and then on a regular grade for .25 and keep alternating.

An alternative to .25 intervals is .50 intervals with .50 recoveries, which I also do.

- Increasing speed: I'll start running a mile at a ten minute pace (speed 6) and then when it gets to .60 of a mile, I'll increase the speed in small increments, like up to 6.1, every tenth of a mile. When I get to the end of the mile, I'll go back down to ten minute mile pace and then do it all over again when I get to 1.6 miles. If I'm feeling especially good and that doesn't seem too hard, I'll start increasing my increments more at the end of each mile until I'm sprinting for .1 of a mile, then back down to speed 6.

Well, those are some of the reasons I love the treadmill and some of the work outs I do on it. Hopefully it will inspire you. I am actually trying to make myself run outside more, because my dog needs the exercise and I feel really refreshed and alive when I get all the fresh air.

Good luck.

nickybr38

Just be careful Neeter. Your dog might not be able to keep up!

Thanks! This week is going to be run week for me and if it goes okay I'll keep doing it in the following weeks.

neeterskeeter

Ha ha, my dog is a rottie/doberman/shepherd mix and she can run three times as fast as me. Sometimes I take her to the mountains and she literally runs double what I do because she runs up and down and around and around while I'm plodding along on the trail.

I hope your run week turns out well -- good luck!

PolarQueen

Good for you. I feel your pain. I have a treadmill here at home and it is great. I can get on it and just walk or jog. I have done better. I can run/jog a mile now and that is great. But then I do push myself to do more or go farther. But I can do 4.5 miles in 1 hour and burn 600+ calories and it is great. You will get there I know you can.
Keep mixing up your workouts to so your body won't get used to it. I will jog/run a lap then walk it. (interval) then the next mile I will use the incline and work off my bum and upper legs. It is great.
Keep mixing it up and you will find that you will get stronger. If you feel your heart rate isn't high enough maybe up the incline a bit.
Have fun. Mel

neeter_ I am going to try some of your ideas. They sound great. Thanks.