Saturday, January 5, 2013

Stuck on the treadmill? Make the best of it

I don't like spending time in the gym, and especially avoid treadmills (the only time I enjoyed myself on a treadmill was when I did this, as seen below. Bit of a different story.) Unfortunately, sometimes when we run, it just isn't possible to go outside. Here are a few things to remember when you're stuck on the treadmill.
  1. Pretend the treadmill isn't there. It's easy to hop on, press a few buttons so the machine tells you what to do, and check out. Unfortunately this can result in sloppy running, and potentially injuries down the road. Avoid using the handrails except when starting and stopping, and don't lean on the control panel.
  2. You still need to warm up and cool down! Build that extra time in when you're planning your workout.
  3. Don't overstride. Since the belt is pulling "the ground" away from under you, the impulse can be to run faster/longer to keep from falling off. Pay attention to maintaining your natural running gait, and have your feet land under your body instead of in front or behind. You will also be less likely to overstride if you don't make the pace and incline settings too challenging.
  4. Need entertainment? Try music or at least tv instead of reading. Paying too much attention to something else will interfere with how well you can focus on your workout, and can negatively impact your form (making you more susceptible to injury.)
  5. Change up the incline and pace. It's tempting to set a steep incline for the entire run when you want a challenge, but switching it up more effectively works your muscles. Variety also better simulates reality--5 mile-long hills are hard to find. As for changing pace, treadmill runs are a good time to do intervals, since you know exactly how fast you are running.
  6. Play the "how far have I gone?" game. Not the most exciting of games, but anything helps, right? Determine a period of time (say, 4 minutes) during which you don't allow yourself to look at the distance readout on your screen. Guess how far you will run during that time. It of course helps if you don't have the speed readout set to mph/kph! This is a great distraction if you're bored, and an opportunity to develop your internal sense of pacing--a skill you can take outside.
Add to this list by doing whatever it takes to keep these runs fun for you. Things I've recently tried include using my 2-month-old as workout buddy (he's on the play mat, I'm on the treadmill, we see how long he lasts. We're up to 15 minutes.) I've also dabbled in socks-only running to get some of the barefoot benefits. Which reminds me--if you're at home, you can wear whatever you want for your run and no one will bat an eye. Promise.


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