PUBLISHED 09/27/2001
Some runners find treadmill running boring and tedious. They argue that there's nothing to look at, that the indoor air is stale and that real runners do it outdoors.
Perhaps. But treadmill running has its converts and its benefits. In fact, the predictability of treadmill running may also be its greatest virtue. The reliable roll of the belt, the comfortable indoor temperature and the safety and security of a well-lit surface certainly beat icy roads, arctic blasts and dark, treacherous footing.
Plus, "predictable" doesn't have to mean boring. With a little imagination, you can design treadmill workouts more variable and more precise than those you do on a road or track. Lastly, a modern, motorized treadmill lets you control pace and hills, and you can use this control to create workouts specifically targeted to improving your running.
Below are four treadmill workouts that will make you a stronger, faster runner. Each of them takes less than an hour, so they're easy to fit into your schedule. When running these treadmill workouts, keep two points in mind: (1) don't do more than two of the workouts per week (the rest of the time, just run easily); and (2) set your treadmill's elevation at 1 degree. This compensates for the lack of air resistance in treadmill running and makes your speeds roughly equivalent to similar speeds outdoors.
