No more marathons
I have managed to not run on a treadmill for the past 30 years - OK, 23 of those were by simply not running at all. But in the latest reincarnation of my running life, I had not stepped onto one until today.
For the most part I've avoided the TM simply by not running that day if the weather was simply too bad, or if I missed my normal noontime run and it was too dark by the time I got home from work.
But now I find myself in a situation where I prefer not to miss training days if at all possible, and so I've accepted the necessity of occasionally using the TM.
So, just looking for some dos and don'ts from any other some time TM users. One thing I noticed today (I did about 5.2 miles) was that it felt like the pace I needed to run for a "regular" workout was about 15 seconds per mile faster on the TM than I would have done outside. Is this normal? I've heard that to approximate the effort of "real" running (sorry - just felt the need to get that in) you should elevate to about 2 degrees. True? or not?
Thanks for any guidance.
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
Let me start by saying that all things being equal I am an outdoor runner. Even in Minnesota in the winter. However I feel that indoor tracks and treadmills are very useful tools for runners. I simply can't get quality speed work done outside in the winter here.
I also believe it is a myth to refer to treadmill running as not "real" running. Many runners, elites included, use treadmills a lot more than you would think. But you are right in that running on a TM feels different than running outside and most runners will have similar comments. I actually feel like it is harder to go faster on a treadmill than it is outside. Everyone is different though.
As for your comment on the percent incline I will just lead you to this article and the last page:
http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/how-real-runners-train-treadmills?page=1
The 1% DebateRun on a treadmill long enough and you're sure to hear some well-meaning fellow runner tell you to raise your machine to a 1-percent grade. Why?To offset the lack of wind resistance. Run on the flattest setting, they'll say, and you'll be cheating yourself.It may sound like solid advice in the gym, but is the all-encompassing 1 percent rule an old wives' tale for mechanized running or a truism backed by scientific fact? Researchers at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom wondered the same thing 15 years ago, so they tested a group of trained runners on treadmills and an outdoor track, measuring their signs of exertion. "The energy cost of running outdoors is always greater than running indoors whatever the pace," says Jonathan Doust, Ph.D., one of the study's authors. "The faster you run the greater the effect."This is most clearly seen in the tactics of races like the Tour de France, where the peloton saves energy by sharing the cost of breaking the wind. "At the slower speeds of running the effect of air resistance is much less, but still measureable," Doust says. For instance, running at a pace of 6:00/mile outdoors will add 5 percent to the total energy cost due to wind resistance. This would show up as roughly five extra beats per minute on that runner's heart rate.The study's final verdict? At paces slower than 8 mph (7:30/mile pace), no adjustment is necessary. "The difference is so small as to be meaningless," says Doust. Between 8 mph and 11.2 mph (5:21 pace), a 1 percent treadmill grade provides the right adjustment. At higher speeds you will need at least a 2 percent grade to offset the lack of wind resistance. Don't worry if you choose to ignore your well-meaning friend's advice. You'll simply run at a slightly faster pace than you could outside with less effort. Consider it a confidence boost.
Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
I also think it depends on the machine.
For example, on my Sole F80 I have the rear bolts screwed up as far into the base as possible. Thus, it's never really flat even when it's all the way down. Sure, I could adjust it but I don't. No biggie. So I know that my zero elevation is actually a slight uphill anyway. (almost negligible, I'm sure but still). I used to play around with it, but normally just keep it at zero for fast workouts or 1 to 2 if I feel like playing around. (Sometimes it helps for me to picture a street I know I run "up" a little bit to pretend I'm somewhere else).
As for the speed itself, I find that mine thinks I'm running far slower than I really am. So much so that I'd say I could be running 8 minute miles while the machine thinks I'm running closer to 9. I ran enough 5K's to realize at one point that something was amiss. Now, I just don't pay much attention. I know it's off, it's no biggie. I keep track of what's easy, moderate & difficult and know that's how I can categorize my speed. I'm sure some machines are much more accurate!
Hope you find one you like. It's great to have when it's too cold or too hot outside!!
Randy
Treadmills are notoriously inaccurate on the speed. I learned a long time ago just to run what feels right and ignore the speed setting. Then, if I run for 45 minutes, I just record in my log how far I would have gone outside rather than how far it says I went on the mill.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
delicate flower
I find the treadmill to be a necessary evil. I'm with Fuzzy in that I'd rather run some "quality" miles on a treadmill rather than struggle with speed and poor footing on snowy roads. On average, I probably do about 20% of my miles on a treadmill. It helps that I don't mind using a treadmill. That said, I'll always run outside given a reasonable option.
I don't really trust the speed and distance indicators on the machine. Even within my gym, different machines give different readings. I go based on what my footpod tells me. While even the footpod is not 100% accurate, at least it is consistent no matter what treadmill I use.
I don't worry about the incline, either. I've read various opinions about what to set it at, but I leave it at zero. I don't know...maybe setting it at 1% will better simulate an outdoor feel, but when I'm running 2000 miles a year outdoors anyway, I'm not going to worry about the treadmill incline.
<3
That will do it!
I personally have nothing against the treadmill, or treadmill runners. I just have a short attention span, and feel as if I am literally running in place when on it. Time seems to stand still.
But it is all about perspective; when faced with heavy rains, lightening, snow, ice and sometimes hail. It is amazing how my attitude changes towards running on that stupid thing.
I have have dozens of two hours sessions on the elliptical trainer, and quite a few on the treadmill before I took up running. That I am able to do that shows that I can focus when properly motivated.
Right now I am enduring single digit wind chills because my days of running outside are numbered. But when I am forced inside, I am grateful for the opportunity because running across snow tears my achilles to shreds, so my attitude changes.
I tried the 1 % thing and my calves and achilles were not too happy so I just run flat. An 8:20 pace on the treadmill feels like what 9:00 would outside so like LTH, I sometimes will just put it on what feels like my normal easy pace, and mark down the miles based on the time I was on it.
Speed work is another story. I just prefer to do it outside at all costs, but when forced to do it on the belt, I just run my intervals at some insane pace that I never would outside. So to mimic my 6:38 tempo pace on the treadmill, I would probably run it at 6:20 on the belt. My 6:18 "I" pace becomes 6:00 and so on.
My only advice is to be sure to stay centered over your feet. Because the belt is pulling them, we have a tendency to run behind our feet. So that it seems we are always trying to catch up to them. Keep an eye out for that because it could lead to injury over time.
Fuzzy - great read. No need for adjustments then, unless doing some real speed work. 7:30 is my 15K pace.
red - not sure what the make of the ones they have at my club - big honkers with more bells and whistles that I haven't figured out yet. I must have pushed something that said I wanted to do a 4 mile workout because right in the middle of my fastest pace it went to walk mode. Just about ate the console.
LTH - footpod and machine were always within 2 or 3 seconds of each other on pace and distance was exact, so at least this one machine was matched to my pod.
Babs - see above - glad I got the footpod earlier this year - just wanted it to check my cadence - too lazy to actually count.
LRB - thanks for the advice on form. I'll need to check that. What I found yesterday was that I keep creeping forward on the belt until I was just about touching the console.
One thing I did notice yesterday was that once I stopped (did a very short, maybe 30 seconds or so, walk on the TM) and hopped off I was initially unsteady on my feet - is this normal for TM n0obs?
Yes, or it feels like the room is moving. And if you are moving up close to the console your form is likely okay.
LRB - thanks - guess I'm normal (or at least as close to normal as any of us on here).
Next question - possibly for Babs I am - I've only used my foot pod about a dozen times outside last summer with full GPS - just to get cadence - but this thing was spot on yesterday with the pace and distance showing on the TM. Does the footpod calibrate itself? Or am I simply right on the average factory settings (sigh - once again, average).
My TM and I will forgive you for the insulting comment...
The late Jim2 didn't believe in the the need for the 1% incline. That's all I need to know. I do however try to do some runs where I throw some miles at 4-5% occasionally. I can also do 3% decline. Be careful, though, with that. I think that's how I got plantar fasciitis by going a little overboard with the incline/decline last spring.
TM running doesn't change my stride and form, it's the same inside and outside. But I think some people have a problem with that. I'm not sure why. I find that running at what is called my easy pace (per McMillan) is easy on the TM, a little harder outside (in the sense that it is too slow and I feel I will trip on my own feet). Doing intervals on the TM however is harder for me. When running outside, I am often shocked when I see that I am running at 10k pace and it doesn't feel like it.
My garmin has been known to be off on more than one occasion, by the way...
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
I use the footpod default out-of-the-box settings. I read that it's fairly accurate for most people. I've tested mine on the rail trail where there are mile markers, and it's just about spot on. If it was off, I'd calibrate it. They do not calibrate themselves.
When running outdoors, I always use GPS for speed and distance. I only use the footpod for cadence.
Mine was fine until I changed shoes, for some reason with the new shoes it was off about 5%. It does not calibrate itself. My app has a calibration factor that I can edit.
I also consider the TM a necessary evil. I'm like most of you, in that I'd rather run on the TM than miss a scheduled workout. I don't usually pay too much attention to the speed difference or inclines and find running outside actually easier than on it. It is what I like doing my tempo runs on. The TM is the best investment I've ever made as a runner and would be lost with out it. At the current time, I work several 12 or more hours a day and when I'm training, there are times where I will run before or after work on it. I will not run where I live in the dark for safety reasons. I also use the TM when the weather permits me from running safely outside. The good thing, is that my TM is in the garage and I'm able to at least get some fresh air while running by opening up all the garage doors. If I had a choice though, I'd prefer running outside. I plan on logging a lot of miles over the winter and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it does not snow a great amount on the days of my long runs.
Running is my mental-Ctrl-Alt-Del.
I run 3 of my 6 runs on a tm year round. I run at whatever speed I feel like and incline is always at 0. I can run faster outside normally but the tm works for me. I did a recovery run on it today, which would have been tougher outside as I would have pushed myself more.
The tm helped me go from years of 5 day weeks, to 6 last year. When I needed change my heel strike landing, it was easier to do this on a tm. I have less blisters than I used to have. It has translated to faster races than 5 years ago so it has helped me overall.
Labrat
I don't adjust the elevation unless I am doing specific Hill work. Given almost every run i do outside is hilly, its rare I feel the need to do any on the TM.
'Wobbly legs' are pretty common, when you first start using a TM. I don't get them at all now.
I'm about the same speed on the TM as I am outside (per a calibrated footpod). That footpod calibration works pretty closely at one speed, and for one pair of shoes. Different model shoes can be 5% off easily. I have one pair that reads low on mileage all the time, and other which reads higher. I calibrated my easy pace on my most commonly used shoes.
Shoes last a whole lot longer on the TM than outside (for me outside usually means concrete sidewalks).
A fan is a great investment for TM running, you really don't appreciate how much the air movement from running helps seat evaporation until you hit the TM on a hot and humid day.
I run a lot on the TM stupidly early in the morning (like before 4am). DW would much rather I am not outside at that hour, so for her piece of mind, its worth its cost many times over.
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18