Mastering the ‘mill: How to Make the Treadmill Work for You (Part 2)
| June 5, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Running |
If you missed Part 1 of the series, click here to read my thoughts about how the treadmill can actually be used as a tool to help improve your running. Meaning you don’t have to dread running on it so much! 
As I mentioned last week, I think the mental game is definitely the hardest part about running on the treadmill. Running for miles on a machine that goes nowhere can be so boring that you want to end your run as quickly as possible, just to get off the darn thing!
The face of boredom
Over the years, I’ve been able to increase my treadmill stamina by playing mind games and engaging in little competitions with myself (like trying to run for a longer time than my neighbor – without him knowing, of course!).
But my absolute favorite way to run on the treadmill is a method that I’ve been using for years. The method that actually helped me get over my hatred of it. This workout is pretty simple – no messing with the incline or calculating heart rate etc. Just you, your music, and slowly increasing speed.
Master of the ‘Mill
This workout is based on gradually increasing your pace so that you end up running negative splits. What are negative splits? Basically this means that the second half of your run is faster than the first half – something that is difficult to do, since as you get tired over the course of a run, your speed naturally slows down. This is a great way to work on your form (by slowly increasing your stride), improve your speed, and beat treadmill boredom.
You will need:
- A treadmill (of course!)
- A towel/shirt/magazine to cover the display
- Music
- And water, if you’re going to be running for a long time
The Workout:
The concept is pretty simple. You start by running slow, and then gradually increase your speed over the course of the run. By the end of the workout, you’ll be running faster than what your average pace would be if you were running outside. This end-point should be challenging, and is what I am going to refer to as your “goal pace.”
Ready to begin? Start the treadmill and turn on your favorite playlist. Set the belt speed to an easy warm-up pace – one that is at least 0.5 mph slower than your goal pace (the slower you start out, the more you’ll be able to increase over time). This should be really comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that you should be itching to speed up.
Hold for one song. Once that song is over, increase the speed by 0.1 mph (or one push of the speed button). So, if you were running at 6.5 mph, increase to 6.6. Hold this new speed for another song. This should still feel pretty comfortable. If a friend were running next to you, you should be able to have a conversation without feeling too labored.
Once this song ends, increase again. Repeat the process of listening to a song and then bumping up your speed a notch until you’ve reached your goal pace. Depending on how long your run is going to be, you can choose to hold any in-between paces for a couple songs before increasing.
Regardless of how far you’re running, the key is to not look at the screen! Don’t agonize over how far you have (or haven’t run). Focus on your music until you’ve reached a certain number of songs (i.e. have a goal in mind). I usually try to plan it so that I have no more than a half mile left at this point (and I’ve gotten better at estimating over time). Only when I get within a half mile of my goal distance, do I start focusing on how far I’ve gone. At this point, I increase my speed more rapidly and try to finish every run with a sprint.
Easy as pie, right? I’ve found that increasing the speed in such small increments has helped me run faster than I would have had I started out at my goal pace. It makes long runs go by so much faster, since I put all my focus on the music I’m listening to. Not only that, but if I’m feeling exhausted and want to slow down, I tell myself that I can hold the pace for just one more song before I stop.
For the sake of clarity, I will use my average treadmill run as an example. You may want to start at a faster or slower speed, depending on your typical pace. This is just to illustrate the workout. And remember, running at a certain pace on a treadmill is actually a bit easier than it would be to hold that pace outside, since there is no wind resistance. You can set your incline to 0.5% or 1% to better replicate outdoor running conditions. But I must confess…I usually just leave the incline at 0%. And I always feel like I get a good workout in.
I like to keep my pace at a sub-8:00/mile on a typical run. Depending on how I’m feeling and how far I’m going, I generally average between 7:45 and 7:55 per mile. So on the treadmill, my typical starting speed is 7.3 mph (8:13 min/mile). My goal pace is 7.9/8.0.
For shorter runs (i.e. anything under 4 –5 miles), I start off at 7.3 and increase my speed with every song. This means I’m keeping a pretty quick pace by the end of the run (often over my goal pace), but the point is to do these runs fast. With a half mile left, I increase the speed more rapidly until I’m sprinting in to the finish.
For longer runs (my typical run on the treadmill is 7 – 8 miles), I usually start off around the same warm-up pace. Once I reach a comfortable pace that corresponds to how fast I’d be running if I were outside, I hold it for 2 or 3 songs before increasing. These days I tend to do this at 7.7 mph (or 7:48 minutes per mile). This gives me something to focus on besides how long I’m running, as well as a short-term goal to work toward. I’ll do the same thing at 7.8, and again at 7.9. By the time I reach 8.0 (7:30 miles), I only have to hold it for one or two songs before it’s time to look at the treadmill. Hopefully at this point I’m not too tired to finish strong.
And that’s it! A method that helps me run faster, practice doing negative splits, and easily pass the time on the treadmill. It’s a win-win (win)!
FINALLY HERE. FINALLLLLLY.
And first commenter! WOOT!
Anyways. I guess part 2 is not too pertinent to me, since I don’t run with music. Oh well. I’m sure it’ll be cool for the other 99% of the population of female runners. I love being the outlier. I rule like that.
.-= aletheia´s last blog ..Eating Salads to Save the World: an (In)sane Challenge =-.
This is amazing lady because I do the same thing! I cover the treadmill with a mag, facing backwards or a towel (or both). If I am not doing a speed/interval workout, I will to the negative split trick and slowly bump up my pace. I also love to finish most runs with some strides so really bump it up for those! This is a fun series, thanks for the reminder about the great treadmill run! I used to hate it too…
.-= Claire´s last blog ..a hard but proud evening. =-.
Such great tips! I just made peace with the treadmill this past year and it’s really helped. The treadmill is definitely a necessary tool for us sometimes.
I always cover the screen, too. Love the idea of increasing the speed after each song. I need to practice doing negative splits!
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Charity Chase 1/2 Marathon Recap =-.
hey love! thanx for the comment… i didnt mind Jillian’s show but i wouldnt recommend it. it reminds me of wife swap mixed with the super nanny lol.. i find it really weird because its sort of like 2 days spent with a family and then scene cut to like 2 months later… really weird.
if u get a chance id say watch it for a good laugh, especially the first episode where she yells at the family lol
oh totally gotta show my mom this second part since u know how much she loved part 1- right after i read it of course!!
xoxo
Ha, I hate treadmills – but after reading this, I actually want to go out and find one, JUST so I can do what you just talked about! Inspiring
and a good post, as always! 
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs´s last post ..Birthday Meal and World’s Best Smoothie!
I have a love hate relationship with the treadmill!! Some days I feel so strong and can go for ages and others it’s a struggle to do 2km. This is such a great method – one that I will so do the next time I’m at the gym. I have used the ‘hide the screen and only look after each song’ method but this one sounds much better. There is no focus on the distance or time, just songs. It’s a great post!
Helen´s last post ..Up with the Sun
First of all, LOVE your dog! And I was thinking about doing the tready today since it’s dreadfully hot outside but I reallyy didn’t want to and then I came across this fabulous second part of your treadmill post! Perfect timing! I am definitely going to remember to cover the screen. Oh and I’m so glad you said you set the incline to zero because I always felt like I HAD to move it up!
I know! I always feel like I’m taking the easy way out by not bumping up the treadmill, but I honestly hate running when it’s set at any sort of incline. I think maybe if you were running on the treadmill ALL the time you should try harder to simulate outside conditions, but I run outside enough to not really worry about it.
great post. i hate the treadmill but know when i start marathon training in winter i am going to have to get on it.. i am saving this to motivate myself when that time comes
sometimes I feel like the mill masters me and I need to tie myself on it in order to make me stay focused. great tips and advice here. show that machine who is boss!
Katherine
Katherine´s last post ..Tiger
YES! I do this all the time! I find it so much better and more interesting than just running at a steady pace. I love running negative splits!
I don’t, however, cover the display, which definitely leads to too much clock and distance-monitoring. Tomorrow morning I am definitely throwing a towel over it!
I tried covering the screen and it made a difference. I still don’t love the treader..but I’m trying!
[...] One, Lauren goes over many tips for your form, speed, and mental endurance while on the treadmill. Part Two is all about negative split running, my preferred type of treadmill run. She also gives many [...]
I love the idea of changing your run speed with the song. And speaking I hate the treadmill, this is must-try for me!
Thanks for posting. Awesome tips, as usual.
hbobier @ Basil Vodka´s last post ..Learning
Great post! I agree about not looking at the screen! That is the worst!
Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly´s last post ..Monday Miles
Great thoughts on ways to keep your running fresh. Not enough people use the incline, it’s important as you said to mimic actual running conditions.
It’s always helpful to hear what other people are really doing.
Nichole´s last post ..Pilates & Pedaling – Weekend Rewind
All great tips!! I have definitely seen improvements in my race pace since I began doing negative splits. And I totally have to have the display screen covered on the treadmill or I go crazy!
Emilyeatsclean´s last post ..Weekend recap
I’m loving this series. Thankfully, it has been relatively nice outside and I haven’t been forced in doors due to heat. But I will definitely be trying this out through the hot summer months!
Alex @ IEatAsphalt´s last post ..(Better than Martha’s) Blueberry Banana Muffins
I love these tips and this series. I sorta love treadmill running (just ran a half on the treadmill yesterday) and I follow a lot of the same tips as you. Of course it also helps that I have an individual tv on my treadmill at the gym. I try to do my LONG runs outside but all the other runs I do on the treadmill- makes it easier to adjust speed etc. Thanks for doing this!
Just wanted to say that I tried this method tonight on the treadmill for the first time, and it worked great! Genius! I increased the speed by .1 after every 2 songs at first, then after every 1 song, and completed a total of 4 miles. Thanks for the idea!
Kathy @ newlywedindc´s last post ..Do You Use Orthotics