Treadmill....ugh....

[Fievel]

So...the weather here in Wisconsin has started to turn really cold now, forcing me inside to do my running.

The problem is that I get extremely bored on a treadmill, and I know I can stop at any time, which increases my 1000 excuses for doing so. Something is to be said for getting 4 miles from home, knowing you only have your feet to get you back.

Anyway - any tips for training on the treadmill? I'm still putting in (Most) of my miles, but don't really feel like I'm getting the benefit that an outside run will give me...

 

[joel_maxwell]

Not sure how cold it is there so I cant beat you up too bad for running inside. It is about 30 here in the mornings when I go. I understand others who dont want to run in that, but man, it sure does get those lungs going.

I wish I some ideas for you. I would rather not run than run on a treadmill. Do you have access to a TV in front of it. Maybe put a movie on. That would make you zone out to something other than running in the same place.

That is a tough situation

 

[MKCP 1985]

The treadmill is my preferred way of training. As for that voice inside your head that says you can quit. . . I focus on setting goals such as "can't stop this pace until I reach this point on either the clock or the distance" and I give myself little perks such as reducing the incline by 0.5 when I reach the halfway point. With the ipod engaged, I don't really care too much about what I am seeing, other than the little benchmarks on the machine. One mile to go . . . 10 minutes to go . . . whatever.

One thing about the treadmill - you don't get run off the road and the wind is never against you.

I don't know if that helps, but that's about all I've got. :lol:

 

[JillC LI]

I have a love-hate relationship with my treadmill. I don't mind running in the cold (actually I enjoy it), but I am grateful to have it for those winter weekends when the ground is covered in snow and ice. Also, I have to run on the treadmill weekday mornings because my kids are too young too leave home alone (and the hubby leaves very early for work). I suppose I could run before he leaves at 6:45am, but then I'd be running in darkness for most of the year, and I don't feel safe doing that as a woman. So I rely on my treadmill to keep my mileage up but at the same time, I can't stand running on it.

For me, I've found that the best thing I can do is avoid looking at the time panel at all costs. Otherwise, I find that I'm checking how much longer I have every 2 minutes and time seems to stand still. I have my treadmill in the basement in front of a TV, so I always watch a prerecorded program. If I have to wait through commercials, time begins to stand still again. Movies are the best - time really flies with one of those. Listening to music on my Nano doesn't seem to work for me, but listening to a book on tape on my Nano does work. In fact I "read" books 2-7 of the Harry Potter series on my Nano!

 

[lukacseven]

So...the weather here in Wisconsin has started to turn really cold now, forcing me inside to do my running.

The problem is that I get extremely bored on a treadmill, and I know I can stop at any time, which increases my 1000 excuses for doing so. Something is to be said for getting 4 miles from home, knowing you only have your feet to get you back.

Anyway - any tips for training on the treadmill? I'm still putting in (Most) of my miles, but don't really feel like I'm getting the benefit that an outside run will give me...

It's not a bad idea to try to get outside to run in adverse conditions. Last year in Orlando, temperatures were in the 20's for the start of both races and it was sleeting for the half. Although it's unlikely the weather will be quite as bad this year, I like to schedule a long training run at least once a week and stick to it because you never know what the weather will be like on race day.

As far as the treadmill goes, try mixing up your workout by doing some interval work. Vary your speed and incline for short periods of time. Chnage up anything that might be part of your normal routine.

 

[Texas84]

When the weather is bad I catch up on my DVR shows with the treadmill but I still hate it. They are never calibrated right and I feel like I'm working harder. Plus I can't adjust my speed like I can while really running. Better than nothing I guess.

 

[Mikester71]

My wife usually takes a movie down with her when she heads down to the treadmill and that keeps her busy for a while. If she doesn't feel like being on it THAT long, she usually just plugs her Zune in and listens to it on shuffle.

 

[Main Street USA]

The treadmill is bad and good, as others have said.

I'm also forced inside during anything below 40o, as I have asthma. Cold air and asthma are a bad combo. I never really feel like it bothers me, but then I talk to someone without it and ask them what their lungs feel like when they run or do something strenuous, and it just doesn't sound like it's the same as mine feel. I wish I could try running without it for one day to see if I feel different.

Oh well, anyway, the treadmill allows me to get my runs in when it gets bad out. That's a good thing. The bad thing, as Brad said, is the lack of motivation for staying on.

 

[Fievel]

Went back to the gym tonight after running last night with a bit of frustration.

Did 5 miles on the treadmills doing 3 min intervals....that at least was entertaining, as the pace was always changing, and I wasn't worried about time or distance, just finishing the current set.

Dunno.....maybe that's a start.

 

[heartodisney]

The treadmill is bad and good, as others have said.

I'm also forced inside during anything below 40o, as I have asthma. Cold air and asthma are a bad combo. I never really feel like it bothers me, but then I talk to someone without it and ask them what their lungs feel like when they run or do something strenuous, and it just doesn't sound like it's the same as mine feel. I wish I could try running without it for one day to see if I feel different.

Oh well, anyway, the treadmill allows me to get my runs in when it gets bad out. That's a good thing. The bad thing, as Brad said, is the lack of motivation for staying on.

I with ya on the "asthma" situation...very flustrating..have to "med up" before I ride on days that are cool just to ride with the bike group..and ya feel like you are having an out of body experince..that why I like very hot days. My motto is not to ride below 55 (degrees). When it is, I just ride an old bike on my trainer, open the garage door...when it is not too col...and crank up the Itunes. Just try to think of the days the weather will be better! :wave:

 

[Erin_Akey]

I never could stand the treadmill. I get so bored and swore never again. i live on the Gulf Coast so it is rarely freezing cold etc.

Then we went on a cruise Thanksgiving week. I was all excited to run on their track which was on the top deck of the ship. When i started out on the track, the wind was at my back and actually seemed to push me and i thought it was awesome!

Then, I turned left on that track and thought I was climbing Mt. Everest the way the wind was pushing AGAINST me. I had no idea it would be that hard! We were only going about 20 knots too.

Needless to say, after two miles i just couldn't do it and made my way to the indoor gym and was MORE THAN HAPPY to be on that treadmill!

I now have a new appreation for the treadmill!

 

[Phonedave]

I never could stand the treadmill. I get so bored and swore never again. i live on the Gulf Coast so it is rarely freezing cold etc.

Then we went on a cruise Thanksgiving week. I was all excited to run on their track which was on the top deck of the ship. When i started out on the track, the wind was at my back and actually seemed to push me and i thought it was awesome!

Then, I turned left on that track and thought I was climbing Mt. Everest the way the wind was pushing AGAINST me. I had no idea it would be that hard! We were only going about 20 knots too.

Needless to say, after two miles i just couldn't do it and made my way to the indoor gym and was MORE THAN HAPPY to be on that treadmill!

I now have a new appreation for the treadmill!

Two things I have found

The tailwind never makes up for the headwind going the other way.

The downhill never makes up for the uphill going the other way.

-dave

 

[joel_maxwell]

Two things I have found

The tailwind never makes up for the headwind going the other way.

The downhill never makes up for the uphill going the other way.

-dave

True and True!

I really dont like downhills. Im not talking gentle slopes... Im talking downhill. Wears my legs out so fast and works my shins.

I almost prefer running flat and uphill both ways.

 

[MKCP 1985]

kinda like doing the reverse on the elliptical - works a different set of muscles?

speaking of headwind, there has to be some sort of runner's law that says when you are going to run a loop or down and back, that if you head out into a headwind, the wind direction will shift so that you are running into the headwind again on the way back. Can't tell you how many times THAT has happened. :lol:

 

[garyhoov]

The problem is that I get extremely bored on a treadmill, and I know I can stop at any time, which increases my 1000 excuses for doing so. Something is to be said for getting 4 miles from home, knowing you only have your feet to get you back.

What I try to do, if I'm tempted to quit, is I never allow myself to quit at that moment.

For example if I'm at 3.7 miles I won't allow myself to just stop there, but I'll tell myself I know I can go to at least 4 miles and then re-evaluate. Once I get to 4, I'll say to myself: "I know I can do another 0.5." etc. and I try to just nudge myself along.

It seems like I hit moments of weakness and if I can force myself to push through those, I often can get past the feeling.

Also, I try to remind myself that it will take a lot of effort to get back to that point next work-out. For example, if I set out to do 10 miles and by mile 7 I'm feeling like I might quit, I tell myself that I've already put all that effort into the 7 miles and if I quit, I'll have to start all over again and put in a lot of time just to get back to that point next time. It's a lot easier to do that last 3 miles than the full 10 a few days later.

. . . of course I often do the full 10 miles a few days later anyhow, but I don't tell myself that's the plan and so far I've been too dumb to catch on.:lookaroun

 

[lukacseven]

True and True!

I really dont like downhills. Im not talking gentle slopes... Im talking downhill. Wears my legs out so fast and works my shins.

I almost prefer running flat and uphill both ways.

I'd much rather run stright up hill. Downhill is bad on my knees. Side slopes are not good either. I start with IT band issues and sore hips. I actually fractured a bone in my foot a few years ago during the Disney half running up the cloverleaf around mile 10. The side-to-side pitch on that is very noticable. I have to run on the very edge of the high side to try an avoid it from happening again.