I've been getting a lot of side eye from various runners including my dad due to the amount of treadmill running I have been doing. I've just been such a wussy (or minus the W and add a P) when it comes to the cold and running in the dark. I am really not sure what is with me! I guess one good thing about a spring marathon is winter training. I won't have a choice but to get off the hamster machine and run outside.
What most people do not realize is that I do not just hop on the treadmill, set my pace and run. I have various work outs that I use that not only change my paces but the incline levels too.
I decided to share these works out. and if you have treadmill work outs you do, please feel free to share them with me. I am sure there will be times during my early stages of marathon training that I may use the treadmill on shorter runs when the weather is too much for me to bare.
Work Out #1: 30 minute work out (I always at least 2-3 additional miles at the end of this work out to increase distance and time)
Set incline at 2%
slow jog at 6mph for 5 minutes
alternate MPH settings as follows every 1 minute: 6/6.5/6/7/6/7.5/6/8/6/7.5/6/7/6.5/6 - repeat
drop incline to 1%, increase MPH to a comfortable hard pace (I usually set mine at 7.4 mph and run 2-3 miles)
Work Out #2: Incline/Hill work out (again, I add additional mileage at the end)
Set incline at 2%
slow jog for 5 minutes at 6mph
alternate incline settings as follows every 1 minute: 2/5/2/6/2/7/2/8/2/9/2/10/2/5/2/6/2/7/2/8/2/9/2/10
drop incline to 1%, increase MPH to a comfortable hard pace (I run at least 2-3 miles)
1 hour Treadmill Work Out: (adjust to fit your pace)
10 minute jog at slow pace (9:00)
10 minutes tempo pace (8:00 or faster)
5 minute push (7:19 or faster)
10 minute jog at slow pace (9:00)
10 minutes tempo pace (8:00 or faster)
5 minute push (7:19 or faster)
10 minute jog at slow pace (9:00)
So there you have it. A few of my go-to work outs to break up the monotony of the treadmill.
I recently received an email of Greg McMillan's top 4 treadmill work outs. I have used one and plan to try the others. here is a copy of the article that I received.
Overland vs. Treadmill Running
In treadmill running you don't have to overcome wind resistance since you stay in the same spot. As a result, you need to set the treadmill to 1 percent incline (unless doing hill repeats) to approximate the 7 percent energy cost you usually use to overcome air resistance. Second, in treadmill running, the ground runs out from underneath you instead of you pushing against the ground to propel yourself over it. As a result, the biomechanics are slightly different. Also, since there are no curves or undulations in the surface of the treadmill belt, your footplant is exactly the same nearly every stride. Take care when starting treadmill running to let your body adjust to the different demands. You need to gradually introduce treadmill running to your winter routine, and it's a good idea to do some preparatory easy treadmill runs before you do treadmill training.
Workout: Six/Sevens
1 Set: 90 seconds @ 6 percent grade and marathon pace
1-minute recovery @ flat jog
1 minute @ 7 percent grade and marathon pace
2-minute recovery @ flat jog
Do 6-10 sets.
Workout No. 1 comes from masters ace and long-time coach Gary Silver, who lives and trains in flat Florida. "This is a great hill program on a treadmill. You want to run the hill at your 5K race effort, which, in this workout, occurs at just slightly faster than your marathon pace. Increase the incline simultaneously with the speed -- do not start your clock until the treadmill is at 6 percent and the speed has increased to marathon pace. I suggest four to six sets the first week's workout, then six to eight, then eight to 10. If you were to do this hill workout leading into the Boston Marathon, I think you might even say that the Boston course is flat!"
Workout: Faster, Faster
1 Set: 400m @ easy run pace
400m @ 15K (tempo) pace
400m @ 3-5K race pace
Do 4 sets.
Workout No. 2 comes from Illinois coach Bill Mitsos, whose daughter, Janna, is a three-time all-state cross country runner and was third at her state meet as a sophomore. "I used this workout with Janna, and it worked very well. Running the set four times gave her three miles of faster and faster running. This workout isn't too boring because of the pace changes. She did the workout once every couple weeks, and then she raced great. I also noticed during the race she was changing gears easily."
Workout: The Pyramid
Set 1: steady pace 1 minute each @ 4, 5 and 6 percent incline
2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog
Set 2: steady pace 1 minute each @ 5, 6 and 7 percent incline
2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog
Set 3: steady pace 1 minute each @ 6, 7 and 8 percent incline
2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog
Set 4: steady pace 1 minute each @ 7, 6 and 5 percent incline
2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog
Set 5: steady pace 1 minute each @ 6, 5 and 4 percent incline
2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog
This fun workout comes from competitive masters runner Melissa Trunnell, who, despite living in Southern California, hits the treadmill for a fun diversion from her normal routine and when traveling for work. The usual warm-up and cool-down sandwich the workout.
Workout: The Lab Rat
Stage 1: 4 minutes @ easy run pace
lower speed 2 mph for 2-minute recovery
Stage 2: 4 minutes @ stage 1 pace + 1 mph
lower speed 2 mph for 2-minute recovery
Stage 3: 4 minutes @ stage 2 pace + 1 mph
lower speed 2 mph for 2-minute recovery
Stage 4: 4 minutes @ stage 3 pace + 1 mph
lower speed 2 mph for 2-minute recovery
Stage 5: 4 minutes @ stage 4 pace + 1 mph
lower speed 2 mph for 2-minute recovery
This fun lactate threshold workout comes directly from the research project I worked on in graduate school. The incline remains at 1 percent throughout the workout. If your first stage is run at 7.5 mph (8 minutes per mile pace) then your next stages will be 8.5 mph (7:04 pace), 9.5 (6:19 pace), 10.5 (5:43 pace), and 11.5 (5:13 pace). The workout gets increasingly tough, and the last stage is very hard (and optional as you build up). After performing this workout once, you'll find your best speeds for future workouts.
