Forums >Cross Training>Treadmill incline hike vs. Recovery run
Overweight per CDC BMI
I had a 5m race Sunday so my legs were pretty sore yesterday. I did a 2m recovery run last night and since there were thunderstorms this morning I decided to go to the gym. After lifting weights for 20 min, I got on the treadmill to do another recovery run. After two minutes, I remembered how much I hate running on the treadmill and just cranked up the incline to 15% to hike and give my joints a rest.
It was actually a very good workout where my heartrate was 140-160 for 30 min and I was covered in sweat. Given how I had a good cardio workout for 30 min and I gave my joints a break, could this incline hiking be a substitute for recovery runs? I'm not going to cut out all easy runs but if I did the treadmill hike twice a week, would I see benefits equivalent to 3-4 mile easy runs?
Memphis / 38 male
5k - 20:39 / 10k - 43:48 / Half - 1:34:47 / Full - 3:38:10
runktrun
Probably yes, with a bit of science and anecdote behind my answer. My coach, Matt Fitzgerald, had me hike/run between 10-15% a couple times a week to stay in shape over the winter when I had a hernia (for some reason, that posture didn't irritate it...). I didn't do much, maybe 10mi total per week of treadmill incline mixed with another 20mpw of easy, flat runs, but I went from super out of shape in Feb to running a great open mountain 22k in March, then my fastest half in 4 years at the end of April. Treadmill incline is now in my box of training tools for when straight running is not possible/advisable. Only downside I found was that my cadence was slower and stride shorter, so I just had to add in some extra strides when I got running outside regularly again.
Not running for my health, but in spite of it.
Mmmm Bop
I had a 5m race Sunday so my legs were pretty sore yesterday. I did a 2m recovery run last night and since there were thunderstorms this morning I decided to go to the gym. After lifting weights for 20 min, I got on the treadmill to do another recovery run. After two minutes, I remembered how much I hate running on the treadmill and just cranked up the incline to 15% to hike and give my joints a rest. It was actually a very good workout where my heartrate was 140-160 for 30 min and I was covered in sweat. Given how I had a good cardio workout for 30 min and I gave my joints a break, could this incline hiking be a substitute for recovery runs? I'm not going to cut out all easy runs but if I did the treadmill hike twice a week, would I see benefits equivalent to 3-4 mile easy runs?
Your post is a bit confusing.....you crank up the treadmill incline because you hate it? What is your normal heartrate during a recovery run?...140 - 160 is a big range in 30min. I’ve never been covered in sweat after a recovery run (even on a treadmill) so I think you need to be more specific.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
HR of 140 is the higher end for recovery runs, while 160 is touching LT pace. However if you are able to walk at the pace to get your HR that high, I am sure its just as beneficial to your running, vs a slow jog which i'd imagine is bio mechanically as different from running as the hike would be.
My comment about hating running on the treadmill leading to this meant that running at a 9:15 pace on the treadmill would have caused me to say "to hell with this" and I would have gone home after 5 minutes, not really getting any activity. I enjoyed the incline hiking enough to do it the full 30 min and I couldn't go running on the road this morning due to lightning. I cranked up the incline to 15% while reducing the speed to 3.0-3.5 so I was walking uphill and not running.
Usually after a race when my legs are sore, they won't let me run any faster than recovery pace anyway so it is best to do that pace as intended in the run rotation. I was able to have a solid cardio workout 2 days after a tough race where my sore legs didn't slow me down at all and I was able to have a low impact workout to help recover. I agree than a heart rate of 140-160 is not typical of a recovery effort, I was giving my legs a break from the impact while getting a good cardio workout.
My comment about hating running on the treadmill leading to this meant that running at a 9:15 pace on the treadmill would have caused me to say "to hell with this" and I would have gone home after 5 minutes, not really getting any activity. I enjoyed the incline hiking enough to do it the full 30 min and I couldn't go running on the road this morning due to lightning. I cranked up the incline to 15% while reducing the speed to 3.0-3.5 so I was walking uphill and not running. Usually after a race when my legs are sore, they won't let me run any faster than recovery pace anyway so it is best to do that pace as intended in the run rotation. I was able to have a solid cardio workout 2 days after a tough race where my sore legs didn't slow me down at all and I was able to have a low impact workout to help recover. I agree than a heart rate of 140-160 is not typical of a recovery effort, I was giving my legs a break from the impact while getting a good cardio workout.
Well in that case it was more of a cross training workout. I’m a big believer in doing what you enjoy and if the hiking/treadmill doesn’t interfere with your next quality workout then cool. 👍
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I totally get the treadmill aversion! It's great that you found an alternative with incline hiking, maintaining the cardio while being gentler on your joints. It could be a valuable addition to your routine, but remember, the variety is key. A mix of both could strike a nice balance for your fitness and recovery.jumping shell