David Roche from Trail Runner Magazine knows how difficult to pound away on the treadmill and has found a way to combat this. Try out these training techniques to break up the monotony of treadmill running. These are only 6 of his 9 recommended techniques, to read the full article click here.
Aerobic Workouts:
The Barracuda: 40-80 minutes easy with a fast 30 seconds every five minutes (starting at 15 minutes)
The pace chart of the Barracuda looks like sharp little teeth. The fast sections act as strides that improve your running mechanics and make you faster at all effort levels. On the strides, try to go the quickest pace you can while staying totally relaxed.
The Stairway to Heaven: 40-80 minutes easy with 50 seconds at 10-percent grade every six minutes (starting at 15 minutes)
This workout adds a strength component and changes up running dynamics, which is important because repetitive motion can increase injury risk. On the "hills," think about a springy, powerful stride.
Hard Workouts:
The Surprising Sloth: 15 minutes easy, 4 x 30 seconds fast/3 minutes easy, 8 to 15 x 1 minute fast/2 minutes easy, 15 minutes easy
This workout is mostly a sloth, with 43 to 57 minutes of easy running. But the claws of the workout are surprising with 10-17 minutes of fast running that jump-starts your VO2 max and improves your running economy. On the fast portions, focus on going the fastest you can sustain with straining. Similar to the Panda, do more intervals if you are a higher-volume runner, but never sacrifice quality for quantity.
Winging it and Singing It: 60 minutes to two hours with every other song moderate
Do you hate numbers? Then cover the treadmill readout with a towel and just run by feel. When the song changes, increase the pace. When the next song comes on go back to easy effort. You can use this method any day of the week, even breaking it down by verse (for example, a hill repeat every time the chorus comes in). Let’s just hope that your playlist doesn’t have four-hour experimental jazz tracks.
Recovery Workouts:
The Slow Climb: 40-60 minutes alternating five minutes level, five minutes at 2-percent grade, and five minutes at 4-percent grade
Start with the pace comically slow and keep it slow, just alternate the gradient every five minutes. Changing up your form in the hills will ensure you limit the repetitive pounding on your joints and bones.
The Invigorator: 40-60 minutes starting extremely slowly and increasing pace by 0.1 miles per hour every two to four minutes
On days you really, really don’t want to start, the Invigorator can get you moving. Start with a pace that is up to two times slower than your 5K pace. As you work into the run, increase the pace gradually. Ideally, at the end you’ll be moving and grooving, ready for runs to come.
To read the full article and for the rest of the training techniques click here.