For many of us, winter means you have to run indoors — and that means running on a “dreadmill.” Here’s a few ways you can make the monotony of treadmills a little more bearable:
1) Speedwork
Nothing will make treadmill time feel more productive than a speedwork session. Especially if you are doing shorter distances like 400’s or 800’s, the constant change of speed will make time fly by. Plus, pacing is a breeze on the ‘mill so you never have to worry about slowing down.
2) Music
Create a playlist to mimic your run. Warm up with something a little slower and then increase the beat as you ease into the workout. Treat yourself to a few new songs to stay motivated or stream Pandora to enjoy fresh selections.
3) Movies & TV shows
Nothing is worse than doing a long run on a treadmill. But for those stuck doing relentless miles, a movie or a few favorite TV episodes can help curb the boredom. Tablets are the perfect size and weight to fit on the never-used-by-a-runner magazine rack.
4) Progressive runs
After a warm up mile, gradually increase your speed in comfortable increments over the course of the run. This is a great way to combat boredom for shorter runs as your legs have to constantly adjust to the speed AND you have to pay attention to when to change the speed.
5) Play a game
Pick four speeds that you can maintain for a certain period of time, such as a minute or a mile. Then write the four speeds down on a card or something similar. Shuffle your cards at each interval and go! This can be an entire workout or a great little pick-me-up in the tough middle miles.
