Training on the dreadmill

[mr_stig]

Alberto Salazar excluded, does anyone do any serious training on a treadmill?

 

If so, what kind of drills do you use or programme do you follow?

[ricochet_rabbit]

have used it before to do Yasso 800's. set the incline to 1% (more realistic to outside environment - resistance etc)

 

20 min warm up

 

1 x 800m in 3:15

1 x 400m in 3:15

 

repeat x 10

 

adjust the time so that you can do all 10 repeats at that pace. Provided you do the longer runs this should equate to your potential marathon time. ie: 10 repeats at 3m15s equates to a potential 3H15m marathon.

[mr_stig]

Thanks. If I could manage a 3h15 marathon it would snow!

[rudi-h]

20 mins on "slightly more than comfortable" pace - say 12km/h (that is the base speed)

 

First interval: 3 mins on base speed +0.5km/hr, followed by 2 mins on base speed -0.5km/hr

Second interval: 3 mins on base +1km/hr, followed by 2 mins on base -0.5km/hr

Third interval 3 mins on base +1.5km/hr, followed by 2 mins on base -0.5km/hr

etc.. (until you had enough or can no longer continue)

 

So your third interval will be 3 mins on 13.5km/hr with a 2 min recovery on 10.5km/hr.

 

If this is too easy, you can add +1km/hr every time, or increase your base speed, or just carry on for longer.

[Dinamic]

First choice for me is a track but many of the athletes we coach don't have access to a track, so a treadmill is very usefull.

 

Many top international runners have done large percentages of their quality running on treadmills, ( think Geta Weitz olympic silver medalist, winner of London Marathon 2:25, ) It is an antidote the problem that alot of age group triathletes have, 1 paced running.

 

A typical mixed set for a runner who can do say 20min 5km 10 weeks out from a goal race could be

 

Warm up 2km at 5:20-5:30/km

 

4 * 200m in 43 sec with 200m recovery jog

3 * 1km in 3:55 with 2 min recovery jog

3 * 400m in 1:28 with 400m jog

 

Cool down 2km at 5:30 pace.

[mr_stig]

Thanks for all the replies - will definitely use these drills in training.