Rules of Treadmill
I recently took an instagram poll and realized that most runners have a love-hate relationship with the “dreadmill.” But there’s no denying how great a treadmill can be when the footing or weather is bad, when we need to stay home with children, or when it isn’t safe to run alone.
If you’re an avid runner you likely need to use the human hamster wheel at least occasionally in your training, so here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
Don’t Skip the Warmup!
A bit of pre-run mobility is especially important after a night’s sleep, drive to the gym, or a long period of sitting at a desk!
Read: Treadmill Warmup
Focus on Effort
When we’re on the roads, our pace will naturally ebb and flow from moment to moment based on terrain, what we’re thinking about or whatever song is playing. It’s also common to have a natural and subtle progression of pace throughout a run as we get warmed up.
On the treadmill, we are LOCKED IN with no possibility of natural pace adjustments. On the treadmill I encourage runners to manually increase and decrease the speed anytime throughout a run to remain dialed in at the appropriate effort level- whether it be easy, moderate or hard. On the roads this happens naturally, on the treadmill it requires intentionality. Don’t mentally “check out” to pass the time, but stay tuned in with your effort and adjust the speed as needed.
Consider the Incline
I have often heard treadmill fans say that running outside is more challenging than the treadmill. This is the case for a number of reasons. First, outside we are dealing with the elements (wind, humidity, heat, cold, rain) and with changing terrain (hills, turns). These factors add difficulty to a run.
Secondly, although the forces we generate while running are primarily vertical, there is a smaller component of forces generated in the horizontal direction to push ourselves forward. On a treadmill, we do not need to propel ourselves forward - we just need to lift our feet and the belt moves beneath us. Our stride is different on a treadmill than it is on solid ground.
For intervals training, try a low incline of 0.5% to 1% to more accurately replicate the effort required to hit that a similar pace on the roads. At slower speeds and for regular runs, it really doesn’t matter too much. Don’t overthink the incline and instead focus on effort (rule #1).
Treadmills are Hard (literally)
If you are dusting off your treadmill for the winter and haven’t been on it for months, keep in mind your surfaces. If you regularly pound the pavement, the treadmill should be fine. But if you love the dirt roads or trails, the treadmill will be a harder surface in comparison.
Be mindful about the volume of miles or kms you run on a hard treadmill if it’s something you’re not used to doing. Build up the volume slowly and give your body time to adapt. Runners with a history of bone related injuries should be especially cautious using treadmills and should seek out options that offer the best shock-absorption.
The slatted treads on Woodway treadmills offer more shock absorption than other treadmills.
Your Garmin
Wondering how to sync a GPS watch to the indoor treadmill? Don’t bother!
Unfortunately, the two can’t be synced. The GPS watch uses an accelerometer to estimate treadmill distance based on previous data collected during your outdoor runs. But as mentioned above, our stride on solid ground is different than it is on the treadmill.
Doing Workouts
Many treadmills aren’t calibrated correctly so the distance and pace readings should be taken with a grain of salt. I recommend treadmill workouts be based on effort level and duration of time (not distance) for intervals of work and rest.
When doing workouts, always circle back to the first rule of Treadmill: Dial in the appropriate level of effort! (Click for Treadmill Workout Ideas.)
Make it Interesting
The worst thing about treadmills is the boredom factor. Don’t be afraid to mix things up with interval workouts, pace changes, and higher intensities. If (like me) you hit the treadmill when winter road conditions are bad, take advantage of the safe footing to crank out some quick miles. Not only will you get a great workout in, but you can also get it over with fast! Often I can’t stomach the thought of an hour long plod on the dreadmill so instead I hammer out 2 or 3 fast & hard miles instead.
Ready to get started? Check out my related post with specific treadmill workout suggestions: Treadmill Workout Ideas.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.