Train for a Marathon Using a Treadmill Running Machine
- Are you preparing to run a marathon?
- Is the weather outside making the training difficult?
- Are responsibilities making it all the more challenging for you to dedicate time efficiently?
If you are facing any of these issues, Treadmill Training is the best option out there!
So let’s dive in and learn how to use a treadmill efficiently for marathon training.
Using the treadmill settings for stimulating outdoor like environment
If you ask professional runners, they may strongly suggest that running on a treadmill machine and running outdoors are two completely different things. This may not be entirely true; however there is some validity to it. For instance, while running out in the open, the runner faces drag or the wind blowing in the opposite direction, whereas on a treadmill you are running at one place without any external forces affecting your pace.
To combat this issue, or create an outdoor like stimulation, using the “Incline” option on the treadmill is the best step forward. Running on 1 or 2 percent incline setting creates the same amount of energy consumption a runner would encounter while running outdoors.
Treadmill Speed Workout for Endurance
One of the most significant benefits of using a treadmill running machine for training is that one can design particular workouts which is not possible while running outdoors. While preparing for a marathon, the core strength lies in your endurance. Using a treadmill running machine would allow the runner to design a progressive workout that helps increase endurance over time.
For example –
- 5 minutes on a warm-up pace at 1-2% incline
- 15 minutes on a medium pace at 3% incline
- 10 minutes on a high pace at 3% incline
- 5 minutes on a sprint pace at 3% incline
- 5 minutes on a cool-down pace with 1% incline
A workout like this would help increase the runner’s lactic threshold allowing him to run faster and longer without intervals.
The right marathon day pace : The critical factor that one needs to keep in mind while running a marathon is finding the accurate marathon day pace and getting comfortable with running at that pace for long durations. Here’s where the treadmill proves to be more specific when compared to any other device used while running outdoors. The runners can not only find the right pace for them but also maintain and monitor the same. The data displayed on the screen can be beneficial for tracking progress as well.
Adapting the right technique : While training for a marathon running on a treadmill, it gives a runner the perfect opportunity to slow down and focus on getting the movement of the legs and the hands correctly. This helps in many ways as the runner eliminates the risk of running outdoors with the wrong technique, which may result in an injury.
Thus, in many ways, preparing for a marathon on a treadmill is way effective and risk-free than directly stepping out in the open. A treadmill is a perfect running machine that simulates the external environment indoors, that helps in preparation, no matter what the external conditions look like.