If you live out in the eastern part of Canada or the U.S., you’ve likely experienced one of the coldest, snowiest winters in a long time.

As temperatures drop and snow falls, the treadmill can become one of the greatest tools for any athlete to have at their disposal.

In fact, the majority of athletes that I coach in Eastern Canada are now on two treadmill workouts a week rather than a workout and a snowy long run, making up for some of that time on feet in a warmer way.

But there’s no denying that the treadmill simply can’t compare to the thrill of running outdoors, enjoying nature, and the fun challenge of varying terrain.

I enjoy treadmill workouts, but I don’t think I’d be alone in saying that I enjoy an outdoor workout ten times more in ideal conditions.

With that, here are some of my top tips to enjoying the treadmill, and getting the most out of those indoor days.

SPEED & INCLINE CHANGES

Most of the athletes I work with agree that treadmill workouts aren’t that bad, but easy runs can drag on forever. One way to avoid the drag is to constantly change either the incline or speed so that you can keep your mind engaged on specific tasks.

I’ll set myself a time limit at a specific incline or pace, and often do some sort of ladder (up then down) over the course of a run.

PLENTY OF FUEL

Treadmill runs are not only a mental scrap, but they often take more out of you physically. Gyms can get hot, and sweat rates naturally increase. If you’re going for longer than an hour, you need to up your sodium intake at the bare minimum. In ensuring you can stay fresh and engaged through the duration of a workout on the treadmill, you may also want to up your usual intake of carbs too.

I’ll often increase my typical sodium intake by 200-300mg for an indoor workout, and bring an extra gel for good measure.

START SLOWER

One of the most difficult things about the treadmill is that running fast feels so much more effortful than it does outdoor. Too slow, and you’re bored out of your mind.

This is why I like to start slower, and gradually increase. I typically start at speeds much slower than the norm outdoors, and find this particularly useful at the start of each interval on a workout.

By starting slower, you can get into the rhythm, ease into things, and then increase once you’re confident that it feels too easy.

This is where runners often go wrong with indoor speed work. They start too fast, and then suffer a drop-off on later intervals. But if you start slower than you think you need to, you can usually hang on stronger, giving yourself the option to speed up, instead of slowing down.

MAKE IT FEEL EASIER

Since treadmill runs always feel hard, I’m always looking for ways to psychologically make it easier.

I put on a good playlist of songs rather than a podcast to ensure I’m kept in a nice groove.

I focus on form and increase my arm swing slightly more than I would outside, ensuring power is coming not only from my legs, but my entire body.

In workouts, I might even play around with inclines or speeds to make it feel psychologically easier. If I’m feeling like I can’t continue at the same pace, I might decrease the incline by just 0.1% (or 0.5% for a standard treadmill). Then I might be able to increase the speed, let alone maintain it, now that the incline has changed.

Finally, if you ever feel yourself falling behind, work harder to get back up to the front of the machine. You can usually tell that you’re going too fast on a treadmill, because you’ll slowly start making your way toward the rear end. But if you work to stay closer to the front, you will feel stronger and less out of touch with the reality of the speed at hand.

---

What are your favourite treadmill tips? Be sure to let me know below or by reaching out! Thanks for reading and see you soon.