During the hot summer months, runners face a classic predicament: Either run outdoors in the stifling heat with a slower pace and potentially risk heat exhaustion depending on the severity of the weather, or take their runs indoors to the dreaded treadmill. It’s often an equally unpleasant outcome; suffer one way or suffer another.
You can take advantage of the hot weather by working on speed with these three treadmill workouts to train to run faster this summer.
While the treadmill is not my favorite mode of exercise, I am forced to admit that there are distinct advantages to running on the treadmill, especially when the temperature and humidity are soaring outdoors.
10 Benefits of Treadmill Running
Treadmills are usually in air-conditioned environments, and they’re safe to run on any time day or night.
They build wicked mental toughness.
You’ll never get hit by a car or chased by a dog (or a Llama; a story for another day).
You can race the person next to you, and they’ll never even know.
You can be a control freak and easily adjust your pace, incline, and time; great for structured interval training.
The impact on a cushioned belt on a treadmill is easier on your joints than on cement or asphalt.
The clock is right there in your face, counting every minute and mile (not sure if this is a benefit, I usually throw a towel over it).
If you feel fatigued and can’t go on, you can hit the stop button and instantly complete your workout, instead of having to run or walk back to where you started.
Those little fans built into the console are like a personal cooling system.
The cup holders are more convenient than holding a water bottle, your phone, your keys, and other small personal items, like snacks.
Wow. With that list, I almost convinced myself that treadmills are awesome.
Because I don’t love the treadmill myself, I can program a few treadmill workouts that even the most treadmill-adverse runners, like me, will be able to complete with minimal mental anguish. Do you know those crazy people who run half marathons on treadmills? Yeah, that’s not me.
Treadmills can feel dull with your legs turning over like a rat in a cage (despite all my rage.Yes, I think I’m funny) or I guess, more accurately, like a hamster on a wheel.
I programmed three treadmill workouts that you can do in about 30 minutes this summer, because who wants to spend much more than 30 minutes on a treadmill? These workouts will train you to run faster so that by the time fall race seasons rolls around, you’ll have a summer of speed work under your belt.
TREADMILL WORKOUTS TO RUN FASTER
HILL REPEATS
Easy pace: Warm up at 0% incline for five minutes
Hard pace: Increase the incline between 4-8%, run for one minute.
Easy pace: Recover 0% incline for two minutes
Repeat 4-8 times or until you notice a decline in performance.
Cool down: Walk at 0% incline until your heart rate returns to normal
You can progress this workout by increasing the pace you run up the hill, by increasing the number of repetitions, increasing the length of the hill, or increasing the incline, but never all at once. Choose one variable at a time and work to improve your performance.
LONG INTERVALS
Start with a dynamic warm-up
Easy pace: Warm up for five minutes
Hard pace: Run three to five minutes at a hard pace
Easy pace: Recover two to three minutes at a slow jog or brisk walk
Repeat for 30 minutes or until fatigue (decrease in performance)
Cool down: Walk until your heart rate returns to normal
SHORT INTERVALS
Start with a dynamic warm-up
Easy pace: Warm up for five minutes
Extremely hard pace: Run for 30 seconds at a hard pace
Easy pace: Recover for 90 seconds at a comfortable pace
Repeat 8-10 times or until a decrease in performance
Cool down: Walk until your heart rate returns to normal
three treadmill workouts to train to run faster this summer. Save to Pinterest to share!
FINAL WORDS
These workouts are appropriate for runners that have built a base by running three to five days a week for four to six weeks.
Perform each of these workouts once or twice a week for four weeks, with at least 48 hours of rest between hard workouts.
The body adapts (gets stronger and faster for your next workout) during the rest period after the workout, not during the exercise itself. You won’t see the full benefit of your hard work without adequate rest and recovery.
Work at your current fitness level. Adjust the workouts, as needed, based on your abilities.
Never follow arbitrary paces assigned to workouts on the internet. I suggest running according to the rate of perceived exertion chart and the talk test, which I explain in more detail in this blog post.
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Questions? I’d love to help.
