Treadmill Running

Personally I rather dislike running on the treadmill. However since I have a full time plus job, many responsibilities at home as well as a family sometimes my schedule doesn't permit me to run outside as much as I would like to. So for this blog post I did some research on how to get a quality workout on the treadmill and to make it a bit more interesting because my main problem is I think running on the treadmill is really boring.

There are some advantages of running on the treadmill. Treadmills offer a safe running solution when faced with less than ideal conditions such as icy road patches, dark roadways, extreme temperatures, etc. They also provide a solution to people whom have busy schedules like me. According to Coach Jeff from runnersconnect.net treadmills also give you the ability to simulate a race course either by programming in the course if you have a fancy treadmill or by making manual adjustments. This is something that I hadn't considered but will definitely be trying in the future. Another thing that I learned is that if you set the treadmill on a 1% incline grade for your run it puts you on a energy exertion equal to running outside with wind resistance.

Proper warm ups are important when running on the treadmill because its so easy to just jump on and start running, something I have been guilty of and ended up regretting it later when I develop shin splints and have to take a couple days off putting me at risk for losing ground. So I found what looks like a pretty good warm up routine that I am going to attempt. This is from on active.com

"Walk for 3 minutes: Start easy and build it up to a brisk walk in the last minute. Jog for 3 minutes: If you know your marathon pace, this effort is about 1 to 1.5 minutes slower per mile. 3 x 20/40s: This is 20 seconds fast, 40 seconds recovery. Goal here is to get the blood pumping and have you ready to hit your intervals / training session at 100 percent."

After some more research I found a couple of tips to help make treadmill running more interesting  (hopefully). I am going to be incorporating these into my routine.
1. Interval training- add some incline, change your speeds. Interval training is a great way to change up your routine and keep you from a plan boring run on the treadmill. If you're not sure what types of intervals to do there are plenty that you can find online.
2. Multitask- grab a pair of 2 or 5 pound weights and do some bicep curls or other upper body strength exercises while walking on the treadmill.
3. Add music/television- listening to music or watching television is a good distraction technique. Increase the speed or interval to change up the routine to changes in the beat of the music or during commercials.
4. If you want to walk instead of running simulate a hike by using a preprogrammed course or by increasing the incline at set intervals.
5. Be spontaneous with your workout. Don't schedule it at specific times or you will start to talk yourself out of it.
6. Maybe move the treadmill to a different location. Some people move their treadmill outside.
7. Create a progress chart with goals and rewards for yourself. Log your miles and reward yourself with healthy treats or workout gear.
8. Grab a workout buddy to keep you company.

References

http://runnersconnect.net/running-training-articles/treadmill-vs-running-outside http://weightloss.allwomenstalk.com/7-ways-to-make-the-treadmill-more-fun http://www.active.com/running/articles/5-tips-for-a-better-treadmill-workout http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/treadmill-winter-workout-tips-for-runners

The beginning...

December 22, 2014 I decided that I needed to stop waiting until the weather got nice to start running. Basically it was an excuse to not do it. The weather would eventually improve and I would find other reasons not to do it. Living in upstate New York we have all four seasons. Starting running in December was definitely interesting. At that point I didn't have a treadmill or a gym membership so I was running outside in the snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures. The first two 5k races that I ran happened to be in the midst of polar vortexes and absolutely worth it. I learned I love running even in the depth of winter but you definitely need to do your research and dress appropriately.

Last month I tried something that I have never done before. I ran a 10k trail race at Buttermilk Falls. It was absolutely amazing. It was the farthest distance I have ever run and the most complex terrain I have ever run. Trail running is absolutely something that I am glad I started doing. Currently I am training for a half marathon and have a few more trail runs coming up that I can hardly wait for. I am a slow runner but I don't really mind at all. I don't race to win I race for the camaraderie. Every race I have been in the participants cheer each other on. Its a wonderful display of community spirit and pride in the sport.

This blog will pretty much encompass posts about my training, research on running, my reviews on races I participated in etc. The next race is the Forest Frolic 15k in Virgil hosted by the Finger Lakes Running Club and I am very excited about it. If interested you can find out more about the run here:
http://fingerlakesrunners.org/trail-runs/forest-frolic-trail-runs/

Stay tuned for more posts and Happy Running!