Running: Shaking Up Treadmill Training

Creative ways to make treadmill training interesting and more beneficial

By Andrew Neugebauer, CTS Coach, Nike Farm Team

As the temperature starts to drop and the snow starts to fall, many runners would rather put on a pair of running shorts and head for the treadmill than layer up and brave the ice covered streets and frozen extremities. Running on a treadmill has its advantages and disadvantages. The training can be monotonous and downright boring. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are ways to make training on a treadmill interesting and more beneficial.

Working out on a treadmill in a controlled environment is better than risking injury while slipping along icy roads, plodding through snow drifts or fighting gale-force winds. You can safely and effectively complete your training program indoor. Whether it’s a simple aerobic conditioning run, a specific interval session, tempo work, fartlek or a precise hill session, it can be safely and effectively completed on a treadmill. You can set training paces with great precision enhancing your ability to carry out very specific training. You can even complete a great amount of work at a goal race pace without ever questioning whether you are getting off your set velocity.

You can also dial in the grade for specific hill training. Depending on the treadmill, it may be compatible with your Heart Rate monitor. This would allow you to check your current HR on the front display. Another option, you may want to look into is the premier heart rate monitor technology - the Nike Triax Elite SDM. The Nike Triax benefits your training in that it provides accurate heart rate, lap time, split time, distance and pace information, helps you set goals and build training plans, allows you to download your workout data to a computer so that you and your coach can analyze results and progress, and a features variety of other high-tech benefits. A treadmill technological feature that may be more intriguing than practical is aeromatherapy. This is a great feature if you need a burst of jasmine to power you through your last interval.

If you’re going to do a hill workout, check the treadmill before you start making sure it will incline to the desired grade. You can perform outstanding hill workouts by setting the inclination at whatever percent grade you desire. Raising the treadmill inclination can cause a spike in lactate production. In turn, lactate levels during treadmill training can be very high. Thus, treadmill training has positive effects not only on aerobic conditioning but on the improvement of lactate threshold.

Who says you have to get on a treadmill, stair at a wall and just run? Don’t punish yourself. Rather, take full advantage of your time indoors.

Recommendations on how to have more fun on an indoor run:

Watch a Movie. If you are running for an hour or more at a consistent pace, break up the mind numb with a movie you haven’t seen or even one that you have seen that motivates you.
Get caught up on your current events. Watch your favorite news channel. There is nothing better than a little critical thinking to take your mind off to monotony of a long indoor workout.
Schedule your run around a particular sporting event you would like to watch.
Listen to motivational music. Not having to worry about traffic, dogs, muggers and all the other worries that go along with running outdoors with the headphones is a good thing. Being inside allows you to turn up the volume and enjoy music. When I run indoors, I like to listen to a mix of rock music with a strong beat, while my friend enjoys listening to Beethoven. Figure out what works for you and let the motivating power of music empower your run.
Listen to a book. Find a book with a motivating story. Every Second Counts by Lance Armstrong is a great book to workout to. It can be quite inspiring to read about an athlete’s story, their training and/or how they self-motivate.
Run with a training partner. It’s always easier to stay motivated and on track with a partner.
Make it a date. I know a lot of females who can run their male counterparts into the ground. The treadmill levels the playing field. When training side by side on a treadmill, you can’t run ahead of someone. If your partner is clicking off seven-minute miles and you can only muster eight-minute mile pace, it’s no problem. They’re not going anywhere. Training on a treadmill will allow you to invite a novice runner to workout with you and experience the joys of running without compromising your workout.

Factors to consider when finding the right treadmill to match your workout intensity:

How fast (miles per hour) can the treadmill operate? Most treadmills top out at ten to twelve miles per hour.
What grade will the the treadmill incline to?
What type of surface will you be running on? There are a variety of surfaces that can affect your run. Some allow a level of softness (example - running on grass) which can leave you feeling weighed down and slower, but is better on your joints. Others may allow you to gain speed, contributing to your energy while running.
Will you be doing your own workout or a preprogrammed workout installed on the treadmill? Many treadmills have workouts based on heart rate levels already programmed into them. In this case, all you have to do is enter some preliminary data, put on your heart rate monitor, and off you go.

Before starting your workout, make sure you’re hydrated. Running indoors is quite different from running outdoors. Training in an indoor environment increases perspiration, in turn, dehydrating you at an increased rate. It is easy to forget how the outdoor environment, wind specifically, keeps your body temperature regulated. Simulate the wind by using a fan. Also, try to run in the coolest part of your house or gym. Many people make the mistake of putting their treadmill in a small room in their basement; heat gathers and is trapped in this type of environment. Try moving the treadmill to the garage. It’s cooler than a house and you still don’t have to fight the harsh winter weather. If you are running at a gym make sure to have a full water bottle and take frequent drinks.

A final note: If you have to train inside for more than four days diversify your aerobic workout in. Running in the pool and/or cycling are great alternatives for a runner looking for a quality aerobic training session.

© 2004, Carmichael Training Systems, Inc.