Some of my followers and fellow runners have wondered what I thought was the biggest change in my training that allowed me to run a 3:59 marathon in Boston. I attributed it mostly to my finding and using the Brooks-Hanson training program (see blog post dated 6/14/09). I still believe that to be true. But, it may be more attributable to the fact that I did my Tuesday speed work (5K pace runs and mile repeats) and Thursday tempo runs on the treadmill at my local YMCA. I know what you are all thinking - I would rather die than log miles indoors on a treadmill. In the past, I would have agreed with you. Not anymore.
One of the best things about doing some of my training runs on a treadmill is that I do not have to worry about the weather. Living in New England has its challenges if you want to train year round or are trying to train for a spring marathon like Boston. Sub-zero weather, snow, ice, rain are not comfortable nor conducive to good training runs especially if you are trying to hit a certain pace during a tempo run. Why fight it? The treadmill is an excellent tool to use whether you are training for a fast 5K time or to improve your marathon time. And besides it is a good way to combat those winter time blues.
There are a few things to think about if you decide to add treadmill runs to your training regimen. The first is that your running form changes when you run on a treadmill. According to Matt Barbosa, coach for Chicago Endurance Sports and Fleet Feet Chicago, "The confined area alters your proprioception, or the sense of your body in space. You tense up, shorten your stride, and react to the belt's movement by picking up and putting down your feet rather than pushing off as you would outdoors. To encourage proper push-off and compensate for the lack of wind resistance, raise the incline to two or three percent and lean slightly forward from the ankles." He is absolutely right. I can watch my feet in the reflection on the glass when I am running at the YMCA. My stride is much shorter on the treadmill than when I run outdoors and Barbosa's recommendation to compensate for that has really helped me maintain my stride while running on the treadmill.
Another benefit to using the treadmill for my speed work and tempo runs is that the treadmill's pace once it is set never alters. Plus the treadmill belt itself assists leg turnover allowing me to run faster. Therefore it is much easier for me to maintain the faster training pace I am shooting for in any given work out. I find that when I am running outdoors my pace varies along the way. Sometimes I am running faster than I should and sometimes slower. Running on a treadmill eliminates that variation. I have also found that my body now knows what an 8:00 minute per mile pace feels like and it is easier to hit that pace when I take it to the streets. Thus when I was running Boston in 2009, I knew what 9:00 minutes per mile felt like and was able to run a basically steady pace the entire route.
Finally, I use the treadmill hill programs to help simulate the marathon course I will be running. So since Boston is a hilly course, I use the random hill settings on the treadmill to gradually increase and decrease the incline to simulate a hilly course. I can control the grade of the hills by what level setting I program into the treadmill. Since the treadmills at the YMCA don't have a downhill setting, I don't have to burn up my quads like I would running outside. Instead, the treadmill flattens for a few minutes of recovery before going back up to a tougher incline. Best of all, I can stick to my per mile pace on a tempo run no matter how hard the hill is I am tackling. When I got to the Newton Hills, my legs were well trained to handle those pesky little speed bumps.
Many runners I speak to are shocked when I tell them I run at least twice a week on the treadmill all year. They tell me how boring it is or that it can't really be as good as running on the roads. I am here to tell you they are dead wrong. By incorporating the treadmill into my running routine I have been able to gradually improve my speed despite the fact that I am getting older. And more importantly, it was one of the key reasons I was able to break four hours in the 2009 Boston Marathon. Don't avoid the treadmill. Embrace it and you will find that it can help you reach your running goals in 2012.
Dec. 26 – 6.30 miles (57:57; 9:12 pace)
Dec. 27 – 3.20 miles (24:30, 7:39 pace) – Speed Work
Dec. 29 – 6.20 miles (49:36, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Dec. 30 – 7.10 miles (1:03:48; 8:59 pace)
Dec. 31 – 6.20 miles (58:23, 9:25 pace)
Jan. 1 – 10.20 miles (1:31:34, 8:59 pace)
Jan. 2 – 6.20 miles (58:20, 9:24 pace)
Jan. 3 – 3.20 miles (24:48, 7:45 pace) – Speed Work
Jan. 5 – 6.20 miles (49:36, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Jan. 6 – 6.20 miles (57:33, 9:17 pace)
Jan. 7 – 8.20 miles (1:13:41, 8:59 pace)
Jan. 8 – 8.30 miles (1:13:43, 8:53 pace)
Total Miles: 77.5 miles
2011 YTD Miles: 1,645.7 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 48.5 miles
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