Treadmill Training…

This past spring, we bought a treadmill. I was skeptical, knowing that I prefer to run outside and that generally, our weather allows for that most of the year. However, I wasn’t planning on being the primary user and the pros of getting one outweighed the cons. Several months later, I’m glad it’s in our basement.

There are obvious times it’s helpful, such as I’m on my own with the kids and want to run. They can play in the basement while I churn out a few miles. Following a massive snowstorm which coincided with a busy week at work where I needed to run in the pre-dawn hours, it was useful. In the past I would have strapped on YakTrax and hit the road but this was safer and more time-efficient.

From a training perspective, it’s been interesting. Without outside wind resistance and because you’re keeping up with the belt as opposed to generating your own speed, the times on the treadmill can be misleading. One way to adjust for that is to set the treadmill at a slight incline. By running “uphill” you’re countering the lack of wind resistance and you’re forcing your legs to move faster. It still may not be 100% accurate, but it’s better.

Some treadmills come with video which feature runs in different parts of the world so you can enjoy “scenery” while you’re running. Even if you have this, running on a treadmill can bring some monotony. I’ve actually plugged into music the past two times I’ve been on it and that has helped tremendously. Because I don’t race with music, it’s not something I want to get used to. However, most of my treadmill workouts are short so there’s no immediate risk of my becoming accustomed to entertainment on long runs. And, it’s a fun way to mix up what I’m taking in while training.

The biggest training advantage so far is rhythm. Because the belt is moving at a fixed speed unless you change it, your legs are moving at a set pace. I’ve noticed that after a week where I’ve had one or two treadmill workouts, my leg turnover is steadier than otherwise. At certain speeds you almost can’t help but have the same speed but at slower ones, it can be easy to adjust slightly over the course of a run. I believe it’s beneficial to maintain steady turnover and the treadmill helps get you there.

There’s also the benefit of seeing exactly how far you’ve gone and how far you have to go. From a race preparation standpoint, this is helpful. While many courses may only have mile markers and nothing in smaller increments, when you’re on the treadmill and are maintaining set goal paces on it, you know how it feels at exact points. In a race, you can draw on this, knowing that in a recent workout, you kept up a certain pace over the final stretch and that’s possible here, too.

I had wondered whether I would use the treadmill more than four or five times per year when we got it. I probably use it at least that many times per month. Though my preference is still to run outside, it’s been a helpful tool.

I haven’t posted a weekly food review recently. Simple reason: I ate everything.

I’m joking, of course. Unfortunately, I just haven’t tried anything new in the past several weeks. I hope to add more to the Running Pantry shortly.