Running on the dreadmill, aka the Treadmill, can be a painful experience, but it doesn't have to be. As we push through the waning winter months, where running outside could be challenging due to Mother Nature. You can find joy in running on the Treadmill with the right accompaniments to get you through your run. Some of the benefits of running on the Treadmill are climate and terrain control. You can adjust the temperature in the room you are running to meet your needs. In addition, you can adjust the incline on the Treadmill to get the right level of resistance to meet your training needs.
Furthermore, Treadmill running can be done at any time and help you keep track of your pace, mileage, speed, heart rate, and calories burned without wearing an electronic tracking device. From an injury perspective, a Treadmill is also less taxing on your knees and joints due to the lower impact of a soft belt versus running hard surfaces.
With the Treadmill, you also get path consistency as the smooth; even soft surface keeps your running form balanced instead of outdoors, where you may experience surface holes, cracks, stoplights, pedestrians, and cars that may impede your path.
Some rules of thumb for turning your next run on the "dreadmill" into an enjoyable experience:
- Use a slight incline of 1 or 2 percent as resistance to simulate running outdoors.
- Pay attention to your stride - run with a balanced form avoid taking short choppy strides.
- Listen to music - playing some good tunes on headphones would help pass time and help you run longer.
- Hydrate - keep a bottle of water handy, and consider drinking 4 to 6 ounces for every 20 minutes you are running on the Treadmill.