Hey there. Happy Running Tuesday, friends!
As a full-blooded runner from my callused feet to my low, healthy heart rate, I love nothing more than gearing up and going for a long, refreshing run in the outdoors – whether it be the pavement, or a muddy dirt trail. That said, I wasn’t raised in the warmest of climates, so with the summer sun shining full force, I’m more inclined to run to the gym to train instead of melting like an ice cream cone in the heat of the sun.
Summer arrived a few days early!
You may be thinking that treadmill training should be left for the cold, dark, perhaps snowy winter season, but I’m sure some of you are appreciative of the machine in triple-digit temperatures. Since being in college, I’ve run marathons of miles on the despised “dreadmill”, so I decided to compile a list of what I’ve found true of treadmill training.
10 Truths About Treadmill Running
#1 TIP: Never (unknowingly) mount a treadmill with the belt running. It may result in an embarrassing, bloody disaster and 6 stitches in your chin.
#2 It’s an ideal means for practicing your math – you don’t want to lose your subtraction skills from the second grade.
#3 It will set your pace. Being able to manipulate your speed with the push of button will allow you to sustain your desired speed for an allotted amount of time – you can only slow down when the belt does.
#4 The incline button is your friend. If you don’t have hilly terrain nearby, use the ‘mill for hill-repeat simulation. It also eliminates the stress on your knee joints since you do not have to run downhill.
Holy Hills [30-minute] Treadmill Workout <— try this!
- 5 minutes @ 7.2mph – 0.5 incline
- 5 minutes @ 7.5mph – 0.5 incline
- 10 minutes @ 7.5mph – alternating 2.0 & 4.0 incline every minute
- 5 minutes @ 7.5mph – 0.5 incline
- 5 minutes @ 7.2mph incline – 0.5 incline
#5 Speed intervals are not for the track only. If you don’t have access to a track, the treadmill is an ideal outlet for interval training. Why do intervals? They will make you stronger, slimmer, and faster!
#6 It will keep your kicks sparkling clean.
#7 Variety is key. Have a handful of workouts to keep things interesting during your week. For example, you may do: 1 tempo run, 1 longer run, and 1 interval run (depending on your training needs).
#8 It will keep you injury-free (hopefully!) as the soft rubber is easier on your joints, shins, and leg muscles.
#9 Your thigh muscles may increase in size (see #5).
#10 You’ll gain the reputation at your gym as “the crazy runner girl”.
This is the treadmill I run on at the WREC, just FYI.
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In other running news, I registered to run my 5th half-marathon! This isn’t just any regular race… it starts at 8:00pm due to the hot summer temps – running a race in the dark, I am ready for the adventure! :)
Oh, and it’s just over 4 short weeks away on July 16, 2011!
Stay tuned for training details and the Week II recap of my Slimmer for Summer Plan.
Gotta run…
HP
Have you ever run a night race?
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Of Possible Interest:
- My guest post on Carrots ‘N’ Cake: Tips for Training Indoors.
- The Upside of Running Inside – Runner’s World Magazine
45-Minute Hilly Walking Treadmill Workout
Tuesday Tidbits | 2.19.13
4-3-2-1 Treadmill Workout
Go Running
30-Minute Treadmill Workouts
Love intervals on treadmills. They’re the only thing that keeps me sane on the thing. After using it for 3 months straight in the winter, I’m trying to embrace outside runs as much as possible now though :) Jealous of your warm weather!
I just did a treadmill workout today and remembered why they’re not so bad! I actually was known at my undergrad as that crazy runner girl at the gym…it didn’t help that the treadmills were directly in front of a huge glass window facing the main quad and in the building that had the cafeteria :) I ran an evening race last summer, it was fun!
I’m the crazy runner girl at my gym. I am pretty much the only mommy that runs on one at the moment so I’m always sweaty and talking to myself to get through the run. Hopefully once my friend has her baby in Sept/Oct (7th!!!) we’ll both be the crazy runner mommies!
The treadmill is so useful for weather extremes! I just finished an interval workout on the treadmill, and I always do better speed workouts on treadmills because I can control the speed. That night race sounds like a ton of fun! I would love to do one because most of my runs are in the afternoon/evening rather than mornings (like most races).
I have been told that to make treadmill running the most like running outside, you have to set the incline to 1. Is this true?
I’ve heard it to be true, that the treadmill should be elevated slightly to more accurately simulate outdoor running. You’d have to ask a treadmill expert to be sure though :)
Is #8 from your experience or have you read that? My body feels so much better when I’m not on the treadmill — especially my achilles.
That is just my experience. I believe too much treadmill running isn’t a great thing either — variety! :)
I like treadmills for quick runs, but I cannot for the life of me stay on a treadmill for longer than 4 miles. It’s like torture!
I totally feel you on the treadmill – temps are certainly triple digits here in GA! I missed my long run the other week and my boyfriend and I were in DC for the weekend (with his family) and I got my long run (9 miles) in on this fancy schmancy treadmill – not too bad!
I’m also running a night half-marathon on July 16! It is in Macon, Georgia and is called Make it By Midnight Half Marathon. The point is to finish as close to midnight as possible – so you pick your starting time depending on what you think you time is going to be!! Good luck at your race :)
What a coincidence! Sounds like a fun run :)
Congrats on the 5th half marathon! At night?! Even more exciting!
i love doing speedy runs on the treadmill – sometimes just doing some fast miles is fun too…! i did some hills today… always a killer.
i always see people step off of the treadmill when it’s moving and get back on and i never get it! one – you are not running the total that is on the treadmill… and two, how do you NOT fall!
omg, I did not know about your stitches incident!! you poor thing!!
Oh I love the idea of a night race! I used to go night skiing when I was a kid and I always thought it was really fun.
Reading about your love of running makes me want to strap on my tennies and head out right this minute!
I’m not a fan of the treadmill, I find my performance isn’t as stellar and I get bored. HOWEVER, I have recently realized that it can be a useful tool for intervals, when it’s raining, and when I have to squeeze in a run in between classes. Thanks for posting and making me feel better about my emerging friendship with the treadmill :)
A night race is pretty cool. It’s weird you posted about this because my friend just mentioned to me yesterday that she wants to run a night race and it definitely got me thinking! Maybe I should register with her – such a good idea to combat the heat. I go through phases; I loved the treadmill and didn’t want to run outside…until I ran outside! I did get on the treadmill yesterday and it was good, but I’m really enjoying the tan I’m getting from the outdoor runs!
I’ve never ran a night race, but they look like a ton of fun. A great way to beat the heat too! I love your treadmill list!
I can stay on the treadmill for a while as long as I have a good TV show (or two) to watch!
Running a race in the dark sounds like SO much fun – can’t wait to hear about it! :)