Treadmill running: ways to make it more enjoyable? Easier? Technique?

#1 thing for me is watching something on the big screen either with a lot of action or a great storyline. Music is okay but the eyes want to be occupied, so having something interesting to watch helps. Big screen are very cheap these days so if you don't have one in front of the tmill it should be rectified ASAP.

Other things might be football, like the Clemson Tide winning again, or a recorded show of interest, say F1. Having a good selection of movies like the entire Rocky catalog can help, or some series like Ozark. Something that makes you want to go on to the next show instead of hopping off the tmill. Of course running movies like Gallipoli or Running Brave etc are good especially before a race.

Technique is varying speed and incline at maybe 10 min or more time increments. I find if I have to do a long run on it that the first half or so of the run can be the more mentally difficult portion. Wear your race gear on a particularly challenging run to put you in the mindset of running tough.

Then go get it.

i read the newspaper on treadmill, starting very slow and increasing the speed slightly after each page until i'm where i want it for an easy run. For me at least, not feasible to read when doing something hard like hill repeats, but then again those are less boring than easy treadmill runs anyway

--Dave

Ever seen studies about associating vs disassociating while training?

I have seen several that say the better runners associate ie stay focused on the running monitor reaction heart rate breath etc while the athletes who disassociate ie watch tv talk with others listen to Walkman don’t get as good result.

Just mentioning it because it was interesting

To each his own

Start at an easier pace than you might otherwise, zone out for as long as you can before getting into meat of workout. I can usually do this for 20 min. Adds some easy time/mileage.

Vary paces. 5 min on, 5 min off. 10 min on, 5 min off. Raise pace by 0.5 every 10 minutes until you can go no more.

Run intervals. Hard efforts like this always make time go faster as you’re focused on hitting pace and not overall time.

Listen to podcasts for zone out period. Listen to music for harder efforts.

Run at a gym. Lots of things to look at.

Zwift

Got those northeast winter blues wrote:

Ever seen studies about associating vs disassociating while training?

I have seen several that say the better runners associate ie stay focused on the running monitor reaction heart rate breath etc while the athletes who disassociate ie watch tv talk with others listen to Walkman don’t get as good result.

Just mentioning it because it was interesting

To each his own

Oh I get it. I've never run outside with any music and rarely with partners as I concentrate on my effort. That said, on the tmill, the fact you are going nowhere fast isn't quite the same animal. I find a higher quality workout while giving the mind some distraction - not unlike running outside - will yield a better training effect.

If I am doing a hard interval workout then I prefer music on the tmill but I am definitely focused on the effort. And all this said I am far beyond anymore PRs, I will never be close again, so YMMV.

Get a lightspeed lift.

I second the Zwift recommendation. Really helps take your mind off the solitary monotony.

As a bonus, they just added New York to the roster so you can run in Central Park!

Treadmill ain’t so bad wrote:

I second the Zwift recommendation. Really helps take your mind off the solitary monotony.

As a bonus, they just added New York to the roster so you can run in Central Park!

Do you just use a normal footpod for the expensive one with power they recommend? Anything else you need besides a footpod and ipad (or whatever)

I use the fancy one (stryd), but you don’t need it.

I’ve had great experiences with just using the cadence sensor on my forerunner 235 too.

All you need is the iPad/iPhone/laptop and a cadence sensor. You can also pair a heart rate monitor if you’d like that data too.

I will add one caveat though. There aren’t a ton of runners on zwift yet, so you’re not going to have as many events or company as you would on the bike. It’s still a lot of fun though.

klasdjfg wrote:

Treadmill ain’t so bad wrote:

I second the Zwift recommendation. Really helps take your mind off the solitary monotony.

As a bonus, they just added New York to the roster so you can run in Central Park!

Do you just use a normal footpod for the expensive one with power they recommend? Anything else you need besides a footpod and ipad (or whatever)

It works best with stryd/stryd live or if its you're own machine, see if it has a CSAFE port (like an ethernet jack) and you can get the Wahoo GEM connect retrofit.

You either need a modern apple device or a pc with an ANT+ dongle. Computers can be close and/or easily hooked into tvs if you're set up for that.

DC Rainmaker as usual has some posts for getting set up on zwift.

Use a big fan in front of you. Every 5 or 10 minutes change the pace or incline.

My recommendation would be to run in the snow and ice. I've lived in New England, Minnesota, etc. and I much prefer it to a treadmill. Something for traction for your shoes if it's icy and I wear a bandana over my mouth if it's below 10 F or so.

Ok

What did you do about finding clear roads sidewalks to run on?

I always find, at least in my part of Boston at some point the sidewalks get too narrow and or icey to be safe...same with roads.

I got no problem running in viciously cold weather as I used to live in Vermont and Upstate NY

It’s the slipping and sliding that makes it dangerous for me (and others).

Ty

Run from the behind! Over-striding on treadmills will only slow you down. You have to embrace the moving belt and adjust your movement accordingly. Essentially, focus on deriving your power from the glute and hamstring and try and kick back, not reach out. If you want to learn more, check out Jay Dicharry's books below! OR, you can pay him a visit at his office in Bend and get a biomechanics analysis for a couple hundred bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/Running-Rewired-Reinvent-Stability-Strength/dp/1937715752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540066541&sr=8-1&keywords=jay+dicharry&dpID=51vgwa7l5-L&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Runners-Unlocking-Potential-Prevention/dp/1620871599/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540066541&sr=8-3&keywords=jay+dicharry

https://www.amazon.com/Run-Like-Athlete-Unlocking-Prevention/dp/1905367449/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540066541&sr=8-4&keywords=jay+dicharry#customerReviews

http://www.reporegon.com/about-rep/jay-dicharry-rep-director/

Got those northeast winter blues wrote:

As much as I hate it

Winter is coming...here in New England...

That means ice snow and treadmills.

How to make it easier?

More enjoyable?

Technique?

Looking for ideas

Ty

Learn to shift your attention as you run. Cadence, form, music, distance ran, pace, repeat. Hopefully you get the idea. Basically just continue shifting your attention between things until you're done.

Wowzers wrote:

My recommendation would be to run in the snow and ice. I've lived in New England, Minnesota, etc. and I much prefer it to a treadmill. Something for traction for your shoes if it's icy and I wear a bandana over my mouth if it's below 10 F or so.

Done many years of that. Doesn't make you tougher, only more likely to suffer frost bite or injure your hips from changing your stride. If it's clear, sure it's better. But there are many idiots out there whom make a point in running in whatever weather like icy roads and freezing rain. Maybe in my youth, but no more.

And by switching to indoors you can maintain your quality runs.

[quote]Wowzers wrote:

My recommendation would be to run in the snow and ice.

o.[/quote

Good for you. I have a medical condition that makes it unpleasant to run in cold weather. My bronchial tubes also overreact to cold air creating another barrier to enjoy the run. I'll happily stay on the treadmill in the winter since I am not going to be doing any cold weather races.

My BETTER advice would be to run where you can enjoy it the most and get the best workout. If that's in 2 foot of snow or inside on a treadmill or track makes no difference.

You can run on snow