4 Great Treadmill Workouts

Since it is winter (even though it hasn’t felt like it so far in the Northeast!), I thought I would post some good treadmill workouts for the days that you just can’t make it outside.

This winter I am definitely fulfilling my pledge to run more outside—probably because it has been so mild!

That being said, there are some days that we all have to use the dreadmill, so here are some good workouts to help break up the monotony!

• Cutdown runs (also called progression or predator runs) are great to do on the treadmill. Run each mile faster than the last—running the last mile as fast as you can! A sample cut down run might look like this: 1 mile warm up, 6 miles at 8:40, 8:30, 8:20, 8:10, 8:00, as fast as you can, 1 mile cool down.

• The Pyramid (courtesy of masters runner Melissa Trunnell) – I have done this one before and it’s a killer! Set 1: steady pace 1 minute each @ 4, 5 and 6 percent incline, 2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog, Set 2: steady pace 1 minute each @ 5, 6 and 7 percent incline, 2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog, Set 3: steady pace 1 minute each @ 6, 7 and 8 percent incline, 2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog, Set 4: steady pace 1 minute each @ 7, 6 and 5 percent incline, 2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog, Set 5: steady pace 1 minute each @ 6, 5 and 4 percent incline, and finish with 2-3 minutes recovery @ flat jog

• Intervals are always a good standby for the treadmill. I recently did one like this: 2 mile warm up,  4 x 5 mins @ 7:20-7:30 pace with a 2 minute easy jog rest and a 1 mile cool down. Intervals definitely make the workout go by faster.

• The Broderick Crawford: 1 mile warm up, run for 10 minutes at your current 10-K race pace, 4 minutes recovery jog, 10 minutes at your 10-K pace, recovery jog for 4 minutes, 1 mile cool down.

So now you have no excuse when your only alternative is the treadmill! You can more great workouts in my post on 20 minute running workouts!

What are your favorite treadmill workouts?