Make the most of your session

For some, just the very thought of jumping on a treadmill is a daunting prospect.

Many runners are defeated before they even begin, using excuses like treadmill running is boring and that it feels so unnatural.

There is a strong case to be made that running on a treadmill and staring at a wall or mirror isn’t anywhere near as stimulating as an outside run – especially in good running weather – but the trusty conveyer belt track has many benefits.

Here are three of them…

1) The treadmill is perfect for those long, cold winter months

Running on a treadmill indoors is safe and in a controlled environment – free from the elements outside. Escaping winter weather, traffic and other hazards can guarantee you good quality training time, as well as reduce your risk of injury given muscles take less time to warm up in warmer conditions.

A treadmill is also convenient and allows you to mix up your session with speed or long distance work.

2) Kill two birds with one stone

In addition to your treadmill workout in the gym, you can also incorporate your strength and conditioning activities and exercises into your session.

It is more or less the perfect formula to complete a set of strength routines and then jump on the treadmill. Likewise, you are more likely to complete a full recovery routine in the gym with more space and equipment like foam rollers available.

3) Replicate race conditions on a treadmill

With the various running functions available on a treadmill, you can of course increase factors like incline or introduce fartlek / interval training – meaning you will speed up and slow down at various points. Indeed, these are all useful treadmill benefits and can help you train for a specific race, for example, a hilly marathon or speedy 10km time target.

You should also gain a clearer picture of your overall running gait, stride and general cadence when you’re running quicker and in a controlled fashion.