I don't know about you, but I think running on a treadmill can be the most boring and tedious form of exercise known to humankind. Are we on the same page??
I don't consider myself "a runner" by any stretch of the imagination. I merely run as a means to an end. Because I am a competitive boxer and running helps me stay in peak cardiovascular shape, I do it grudgingly so I don't lose my conditioning in the ring. I have been known, however, to subject myself to the odd race here and there. I use the term "race" very loosely as I am clearly not trying to win any sort of running title.
I recently agreed to enter the lottery for Grandma's Half Marathon in Duluth, MN. It takes place every June and my friend L has been hinting at getting me to run it with her for some time. Well, she finally harangued me into it. We got in and will start training runs very soon. Since it is still winter in MN, most of my running for the next month will have to happen inside. Enter: The Dreaded Treadmill. In order to keep my runs interesting, I have a couple interval workouts that I use to beat boredom on the treadmill. If you are needing to spice up your running with a little variety, try one of these out! I find that I'm much more inclined to hop on the treadmill if I have a set amount of minutes and an interesting routine to work with.
Notes:
*If you are lucky enough to be in a place where it is warm and safe to run outside these workouts translate well to the road.
*These can all be easily customized to your personal fitness level. Simply adjust the speeds according to where you're at physically. At your base pace you should be able to maintain a short conversation. At your fastest pace you should be working pretty hard. Try to push yourself. You'll be amazed at what you're capable of!
The Workouts
#1
Only have a few minutes to get moving? This workout will torch calories, improve your cardiovascular strength, and get you sweating in no time flat!
Duration: 14 minutes
-Warm-up with a brisk walk or light jog at your base pace for 5 minutes. My base is anywhere between 5.5-6.0mph depending on the day.
-Keep the treadmill moving and step onto the tracks to the side. Bump the speed up to a sprint pace. I usually start at 7.0mph and work up to 8.5mph by the last sprint.
-With the treadmill running, hop on and run a 20-second sprint, then hop off and take a 10-second rest.
-Repeat the sprint 8 times. For an added challenge, increase the speed with each sprint or with every other. The sprints should be challenging so keep the pace up!
-Cool down for 5 minutes at a pace just slower than your warm-up. And you're done!
#2
Want to run a faster 5K? This workout will help to improve your overall speed. The key is finding a consistent pace throughout the longer intervals.
Duration: 44 minutes
-Warm-up with a brisk walk or jog for 5 minutes.
-Now find a pace 1.5-2mph over your base rate. You should be working much harder here but still be able to maintain this pace for up to 3 minutes.
-Run at this faster pace for 1 minute and then slow down to your base rate for 1 minute.
-Run at the faster pace for 2 minutes, then slow down to your base rate for 2 minutes.
-Continue with the following interval pattern, always matching your faster pace with your base rate.
-Intervals:- 1 minute
- 2 minutes
- 3 minutes
- 2 minutes
- 1 minute
- 2 minutes
- 3 minutes
- 2 minutes
- 1 minute
-After the final interval, slow down to a brisk walk and cool down for 4-5 minutes. Done!
