Luke’s Top 4 Treadmill Tips
As we enter the season of either running in the cold and dark mornings or the cold and dark evenings, the treadmill can mean the difference between getting the job done vs just letting it go. I get it, we’d all like to run outside, but sometimes the risk just isn’t worth the reward. To help you through, here’s my top thoughts on treadmill running.
1. Accuracy Considerations
You can calibrate your GPS in treadmill mode, but it seems like it’s still way off. Then you throw in the probable treadmill inaccuracies — either from your treadmill, the gym’s, or using a different treadmill at the gym — and you are just not going to be on the same page. I think the closest you can come is to split the difference because it’s probably somewhere in there. I know that’s a hard thing to hear if you are really stuck on data, but I think you’ll drive yourself crazy if you can’t feel like “close enough” is good enough here.
If you want accurate data, I recommend getting a foot pod (Garmin, Stryde, etc.) or a monitor for your treadmill, like the Runn Treadmill Sensor (https://amzn.to/4gk2fZR). I have found that when you make sudden jumps in pace, it’s less accurate than increasing paces every 3-5 minutes.
2. My Treadmill Approach
First off, let me just say, I don’t like to be on treadmills any more than the next person, but they are a necessary part of winter survival (and staying consistent) for me.
When I start out, I stand on the belt, then start the belt. I go straight to a pace where I’m actually jogging/running at a normal gait and then start my watch — this is about 10 seconds, with less than a .02 difference tops. Then, I turn up the belt one button press every 90 seconds until I’m about 6 minutes in. At that point, I’m on the slower side of what I’d like to really be considering myself running at. Then, every four minutes, I go up a button press. There is zero science to this, other than it’s giving my brain smaller things to focus on.
What I notice is when I increase in smaller intervals, the difference in distances gets way out of whack. However, as I progress into faster, but still easy-to-moderate paces, the differences stabilize and even start coming back together.
I like breaking up my runs in this manner — 4-5 minute blocks. If you start off at a fairly slow pace, one button press isn’t taking you out of your easy-to-moderate pace range. I can do this for about 60 minutes and be fine. You can do the same thing with slight inclines if your pace is where you want it.
3. Managing Heart Rate and Effort
The big thing is, if you keep it at 3-5 minute blocks, your heart rate will see an increase, then lower and stabilize after a couple of minutes. It will also make the algorithm on your watch fall more in line with reality.
4. Staying Comfortable
A fan is a must. This won’t help your watch match your treadmill data, but it will help your run be a lot more enjoyable. When at the gym, I try to get under one of the big ceiling fans. If your treadmill has a console fan, that’s a good bonus. If you are home, get a fan that will hit you at the head, chest, and arm level. This will aid so much in cooling your body. You may notice big improvements in sweating less and tolerating faster paces at lower heart rates/RPE.
Adjusting for Intervals
If doing repeats, it’s not going to be accurate, but it will be tougher. I strongly encourage you to switch from pace to distance and go to effort and time using my calculator as a guide.
Even Garmin states in their FAQ section that repeats shouldn’t be done on a treadmill from an accuracy standpoint.
What I would do is utilize my treadmill calculator and use a combination of speed and grade to recreate the intensity I am looking for. Then, instead of doing repeats for distance, I would use effort for time. Essentially, you can turn any workout into a form of fartlek-style workout.
Example Workouts:
- 12×400 @ 5K pace: 12×2:00 @ effort (using speed/grade manipulations) with 1:00 jog recovery
- 8×800 @ Half Marathon pace: 8×4:00 @ effort with 1:30 jog recovery
- 6 miles @ Marathon Pace: 45 minutes at simulated effort OR 3×15:00 at simulated effort with 2:00 jog recovery
Get creative and accumulate time at the right intensities.
Link to calculator: https://bit.ly/3ZGuGdF
I know I am going to get those responses saying, “Just run outside.” That’s cool and all, but for some, there isn’t a safe option. It’s either going to be a treadmill or nothing. These are all things you can do to get the most out of an imperfect situation and make the runs more tolerable. Hope this helps those who need it!
