Ways to Make Running This Winter More Enjoyable eat and drink in 4:57:45. What’s more astonishing (almost) than setting the record, however, is that he in 4:57:45. Whats more astonishing almost than setting the record, however, is that he. Sure, he had the occasional distraction of talking to people, since he did it from the Altra booth at The Running Event trade show in Orlando, Florida. And his wife posted inspirational messages on sticky notes on the treadmill’s console while he ran. But…still. (Take your training to the next level with RW’s new on-demand treadmill workouts, available for streaming straight to your device.)
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The Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based How to Prep for Running When Its Cold Out says he does “a couple runs a week” on a treadmill, including an occasional 22-miler (which takes him almost two hours). “I like treadmill runs because you can get in some quality workouts without the safety issues of running on slick roads in the winter,” he says. Needless to say, Puzey knows how to embrace the machine most runners refer to as the “dreadmill.” Here are his tips:
Think Quality
Use the treadmill for your quality workouts, like progression runs and fartleks. For progression runs, Puzey recommends starting at a really easy pace and gradually increasing the speed by one tenth mile per hour every quarter mile. “I’ll start at eight or nine miles per hour and increase it up to 12 miles per hour over a 60 to 90 or 10-15 mile run,” he says. For fartleks, he recommends warming up at an easy pace, then doing a one or two minute effort with one or two minutes at an easy pace in between. “Prioritize the times you use the treadmill and you can get really fit,” he says. (Plus, hard training efforts on a treadmill make the time fly by.)
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Use Technology
Puzey acknowledges the benefit of technologies—like iFit Coach and DVDs with virtual courses, which make you feel like you’re running somewhere else. And he’s a fan of watching TV on long treadmill runs. “When I did the 22-miler, I’d go back and forth between Fox News and MSNBC. That kept me pretty fired up,” he laughs. “And I plan to preview the entire Boston Marathon course several times in training from the comfort of my own home in Calgary using the iFit Coach app on my treadmill.”
Tune In
Whats the Cost of Being a Runner running headphones and crank up the tunes. During the 50-Mile record, Puzey listened to everything from mellow, island-inspired tunes like Bob Marley and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, to more upbeat stuff. “The beat to Eminem’s Lose Yourself is the exact rhythm of the cadence I wanted to keep,” he says.
is the exact rhythm of the cadence I wanted to keep, he says
“You don’t have to do a super-long run every time to get all of the benefits,” says Puzey. Splitting up your run into two sessions in a day can make the distance—and time on the treadmill—more bearable, while still getting in the miles. Puzey says that double treadmill runs serve as nice bookends to the day and keep your resting metabolic rate higher than it would be with just one run.
Related: eat and drink
running on slick roads in the winter
Part of the beauty of a treadmill run is that you can load the panel up front with your food and drink. “You don’t have to carry a bottle or set [things] out ahead of time on your long run, hoping they’re still there when you get there,” says Puzey. “Plus you can train your system to Whats a Good 5K Time more consistently on a treadmill. This will help on race day if the distance you’re training for requires regular fueling.”
Embrace It
“When you learn to just ‘be’ on a treadmill, there are not many excuses to not run,” says Puzey. Running on a treadmill removes many of the other distractions and variables that may alter the way you move or feel on a run, which enables you to really get in tune with your body. “I like to focus on my stride, cadence, and breathing when I run on a treadmill,” he says. “If possible, I run in front of a mirror to ensure my arm carriage is efficient. When I first started running I had terrible form. Over the years and through deliberate practice on a treadmill I have become a more economical runner.”
