Treadmill Workouts to Keep the Mind and Body Engaged

treadmill

I wouldn't ever consider myself a treadmill running expert as my primary emotion towards the treadmill is loathing, then reluctant acceptance. But sometimes during the long, bitter winters of New Hampshire there only other option is to NOT run and then the treadmill is necessary.

Usually I distract myself with TV or music and these help the time go by, but there have been treadmill runs where I've stepped off, gone about my day and not "felt" like I've run. Maybe physically there are signs of having run: tired muscles or an increase in hunger; but mentally it doesn't feel like I've run, it feels like I watched TV in a really uncomfortable way. I find that unless I'm changing up the incline and speed, I'm not fully engaged mentally or physically.

Here are a few treadmill workouts I do to help keep my mind and body engaged:

WORKOUT 1: The Hill

1 mile warm up

Maintain easy pace and increase incline 2% every 2 minutes until you reach 12%

Run at 12% for 2 min, then decrease incline every 2 minutes until you're back down to zero

1 or more miles cool down

WORKOUT 2: Fartlek

1 mile warm up

3 minutes hard pace, 2 minutes easy pace repeat four times for 20 minutes

(If you're listening to music an alternative would be to run one song hard, the next song easy and repeat for 8-10 songs.)

1 mi cool down

WORKOUT 3: Rollers

1 mile warm up

increase incline to 3% run 1/2 mile

decrease incline to 0% , increase speed by .2 mph (Example: 7.2 mph up to 7.4 mph), run 1/2 mile

increase incline to 3%, run 1/2 mile (at new faster pace)

decrease incline to 0% , increase speed by another .2 mph, run 1/2 mile

increase incline to 3%, run 1/2 mile (at new faster pace)

decrease incline to 0% , increase speed by another .2 mph, run 1/2 mile

1 mi cool down

For more great winter workouts you can check out Oiselle's blog post, which features great winter workouts from their runners HERE.

You can also check out this article from Runner's World that debunked a few treadmill myths. You can read that article HERE.

What is your favorite treadmill workout? How do you keep your mind and body ENGAGED vs. DISTRACTED?

-Sarah

I love connecting with readers! You can contact me here:

Email: RunFarGirl [at] gmail [dot] com

Twitter:@Run_Far_Girl

Instagram: instagram.com/runfargirl

Facebook:Facebook.com/runfargirl262

Pinterest: pinterest.com/runfargirl