Crank Up Your Workout
Since the roads are still pretty icy, I’ve been running on the treadmill for the last few days. One of the nice things about the treadmill vs. running outdoors is that you can set your own speed, incline, and distance.
When I start running on the treadmill after being away from it for a while, I set the speed at a level that I know I can do, let’s say 8.0 mph (7:30 per mile). From that starting point, I start to gradually crank up the intensity of my treadmill workouts, one variable at a time.
If I feel fine halfway through my run at a speed setting of 8.0 mph, I might increase the speed to 8.1. If I’m still feeling good toward the end of my run, I might increase the pace to 8.2 or 8.3 mph for the last half-mile.
When I finish my run, I make a note of the average pace that I ran at. If it is 8.1 mph, then I use that as the starting point for my next treadmill workout and repeat the process.
I usually set the treadmill incline to 1.0% to compensate for the fact that the treadmill is moving the belt for me, making it easier than running outdoors. I always wear a heart rate monitor strap to make sure that I don’t overdo it.
If I hit a plateau, where I can’t increase the speed any further, I will either keep the workout the same until if feels easier and my heart rate starts to go down, or maintain the same pace, but run 0.5 miles further.
By steadily increasing the level of difficulty of my treadmill workouts, I can rapidly increase my running fitness, without overdoing it.
What is your favorite way to crank up the intensity of your treadmill workouts? Tell me in the comments.
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What to Look For in a Treadmill
Treadmill Heart Rate Monitor Hack
