Training
Top Times with the Treadmill
By Sean Falconer
If the winter blues are putting a spanner in your running works , here ’ s how to stay fit , healthy and injury-free while running on the treadmill this winter .
Some countries get so cold during winter , with snow , ice , below freezing temperatures and a biting wind chill factor , that it ’ s not actually possible to train outdoors , and in these countries , many top runners do the bulk of their training on treadmills , for months on end – and still they achieve amazing results when they race . It doesn ’ t get quite so cold or icy here in South Africa , but the treadmill is still a great option for getting your runs done when the weather or temperature makes it hard to head outside .
Top Treadmill Workouts
You can still do speedwork on the treadmill , no matter how cold and wet it may be outside , with these three workouts :
• 10km Pace Intervals : Warm up at an easy pace for 12 minutes , then run for five minutes at your 10km race pace . Run at an easy pace for two minutes to recover , then repeat the five-minute race pace interval another four times . Finish off with a cool-down of 10 minutes at an easy pace .
• Hill Work : Warm up for 12 minutes at an easy pace , then run three minutes at your 10km race pace on a 2 % incline . Run for two minutes at recovery pace , with no incline , and then repeat the incline interval eight times , then cool down for 12 minutes .
• 21km Pace Session : Warm up for 12 minutes at an easy pace , then run for 10 minutes at half marathon race pace on a 1 % incline . Recover for three minutes at easy pace , with zero incline , and then repeat three more times , before finishing off with a 12-minute cool-down at an easy pace .
Take note , it ’ s better to do easy runs on the treadmill , because it ’ s difficult to do quality sessions like hill repeats or intervals on a treadmill . That ’ s because it is hard to build up to the correct pace for intervals , and similarly , it takes time to get the desired incline for your hill repeats . Also , keep in mind that when you do quality sessions outside , you ’ re working harder and therefore generating a lot more heat , which makes colder mornings or evenings far more doable . Therefore , good advice is to use the treadmill for your easy runs , and hit the road or the trails for the balance .
Tread Carefully
Still , the treadmill can be a lifesaver when you can ’ t run outside , but it ’ s important to note that running on a moving belt – especially if it ’ s too fast for your fitness level – can affect your stride , or worse , lead to injuries such as hip-flexor strains from doing high mileage on the belt , as well as shin , Achilles or ITB pain from running with an overly narrow stance . So , if a treadmill is an important part of your running , consider these strategies for keeping your body healthy :
1 Not too much speedwork : You might
enjoy cranking the treadmill up to max speed and then sticking it out , but because the treadmill keeps moving even as you tire , you may end up over-striding and landing with your foot too far ahead of your body . That can lead to knee , hip and hamstring pain , so try to match your treadmill stride rate to your road stride rate – if your treadmill rate is lower by 10 % or more , chances are you ’ re struggling on the belt and over-striding , thus putting a new stress on your body .
2 Running on autopilot : Doing the same workout over and over , at a comfortable pace and incline , can cause problems down the proverbial road , because the belt ’ s flat , uniform surface works your muscles and joints in a repetitive way . Normally , out on the roads or trails , you would encounter hills , turns , rocks , pavements and more that force your body to make adjustments , which balances the workload and prevents certain muscles and joints from being overtaxed . So , if you ’ re running regularly on a treadmill , try using the pre-set programmes , doing hill work some days and changing up the pace .
3 Training inside , racing outside : On race day you could face variables such as hills or headwinds , so it ’ s better to do your long runs outside , but if it ’ s a choice between a treadmill long run and no long run at all , then hit the belt and try to vary your pace and incline as much as possible to resemble the terrain you ’ ll encounter when you race .
Sean Falconer is a running journalist and magazine editor , and has been writing about all things writing for more than 20 years . He joined Modern Athlete in 2009 and is now one of the three co-owners of the magazine . He has been running since 1995 and has run several hundred half marathons and a handful of marathons , and participated in multi-day stage races in places as diverse as the Wild Coast in South Africa and the Himalayan foothills in India .
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