Training on the Treadmill?

JulieWillRun

Anyone doing most of their training on the treadmill and have any tips to share on the longer runs? I am doing the Flying Pig Half Marathon in the begininng of May, so most of my training will be inside.

Sloth_Jog

Sorry - I don't have access to a treadmill and therefore cannot answer your question.
I was, however, listeningg to that free podcast called the Runner's Roundtable and one of the guys commented that in winter he watches a DVD for his long runs indoors on the treadmill.

On another note - that looks like a super fun race! I'm not usually for costumes, but would be pretty cool if everyone were to wear Pig Ears! Good luck!

traintk

I play with the speed when I am running on the treadmill. I normally do a walk run, but when I am running straight through, I start at 5mph and increase by .1 every minute till 6 then bring it back down to 5 and start it all over. It makes the time go faster so I do not get as bored. Last summer I did one of my long runs on the treadmill and that was miserable. I lasted about 14 miles. Would much rather run outside. My half marathon is the first weekend in May also, so will be doing a lot of treadmill training. Did get outside though, the weather has been so nice.

Edumovich

I give you credit for training on a treadmill..................I could never do that because I hate it too much. I would much rather be really cold and run outside. Good Luck!!!!

danipals

I do some of both inside and out...depending on weather. When I first started "learning" to run, I think the treadmill was a great tool to help me learn how to run at a steady pace. It was also easier on my knees. Living in Central Illinois, I have been lucky so far with the weather. (I ran outside on Friday in 53 degree weather...in January....in Illinois...imagine that!) If it is sunny and not too windy I will run outside even if it is pretty chilly. I'm sure ice will become an issue at some point and I won't be able to be outside. The downside to running on the treadmill for me is that our gym has a 30 minute limit on cardio machines if others are waiting. This time of year with the gym "tourists" that may be an issue but I try not to go at the prime times. I have a treadmill downstairs but at the gym there is much more going on to keep my attention (busy body :happy: ) I am hoping that with my race being the end of April I won't have to do too many of my long runs inside!

KimertRuns13_1

I did a lot of my half training this past fall on the treadmill. I even did one brutal 12 mile run on the tready.
Anything over 6 on a treadmill is just not fun. Lucky for me I had my iPod with my fave tunes, my gym has tvs as well. I played with pace and incline a little. At the halfway point usually I would take a bathroom break and stretch, which is not something I typically do on an outdoor training run but it helped to break up the run so that I was not as bored.

JulieWillRun

Thanks guys! I do try and run outside when I can on the weekends. During the week I need the gym's child care so I have to run inside I'm in northern Ohio, so usually there is snow and ice covering everything right now.

linnea213

I run alot on the treadmill usually 3-4 miles at a time. We have it in the family room and I turn the tv on for something to watch and I have my ipod handy with my running track to make the time go by. Today I played around and used on of my treadmill's training distance for a 5k and it had a vary incline from 0.5 to 4.5 and a speed variance from 4.4 to 6.4. It took 34 minutes and I can feel the incline workout on my legs tonight.

I usually run a 5k at a 6.2 steady pace. Where I live its hills, hills and more hills so sometimes it's hard to do a quick run outdoors. I have also noticed since I started running that my treadmill work had improved my time and helped with learning about my pace and breathing

Cooriander

I 'run' on an arc/elliptical, we have just switched out the treadmill to this ARC, and it is also in the family room, like Linna . We have a TIVO and sometimes I splurge and rent a scary movie - where the people run away from scary people.

At other times I just watch TV or listen to my iPod.

queenblomberg

I do my intervall training on the treadmill since we have icy roads. My pt says if your training on a treadmill you should have 0,5 to 1,5 leverage , it is more like running outdoors and you train the right muscels...

I think it is nice with both indoor and out, dependibg on my mood

katiestemp

I do pretty much all of my running on the DREADmill over the winter. It's a love-hate relationship. I get very bored on the treadmill!!

For me, the time goes by faster if I run like a 1/4 mile, then change up my speed, then at a mile I'll hope off, do a mile on the eliptical, then get back on the mill. Keeping things changing and moving. If I have little goal markers in my mind, time seems to fly by.