One of the booths had a few of my friends at it, Gary McNamee and Reno Stirrat. In the video below, Gary is the guy that’s about 2 feet taller than me and Reno is in the background running on the treadmill.

Gary has a really cool product that he’s just launched called “Virtual Runner Software” that lets you run a race course from anywhere in the world at your own pace using any treadmill. He also has “Pre-Paced DVDs” of the race courses; as we talk in the video, Reno is enjoying a run along the Beach to Beacon 10k.

It’s a really cool system. I apologize for all of the background noise in the video, but after all we were in the middle of an expo while we were recording…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3mx_xOMuyE

Download This Video: MP4 – MP3 – Watch on YouTube – Marathon Mastermind

Video Transcription

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Gary recently took part in the Marathon Mastermind. You can listen to his coaching session by going over to www.marathonmastermind.com and joining in yourself. He talks about why you would want home course advantage and describes his virtual runner software in more detail.

If you want to listen in for free, you’ll have to sign up today to hear Gary, however. His coaching session ends later tonight. There are only 2 coaching sessions left that you can listen to for free, so join now!

How will it affect your blood alcohol levels?

If you go for a quick jog around the block, will it be safe for you to drive home after a night at the pub?

These are the types of questions that Adam Savage and the Mythbusters folks from Discovery Channel wanted to find out, so they put Adam on a treadmill to find out.

Here’s what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3KCjIAhSPc

One lesson that he learned is that a treadmill is not a good tool to use when you’ve been drinking. It takes coordination to run on and can be difficult enough for some people when they are sober, especially if they haven’t used one before.

They also decided that exercise can help you sober up slightly (not shown in the above video), but I’d tend to think that it isn’t going to work well enough to enable you to drive home safely if you are too drunk to do so. If you do think you need to run before driving, then 5 minutes is definitely not enough time.

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry that somebody would even think about creating something like this. I don’t know if it is real or if it’s just a prototype hoax, but it is good for a laugh, either way.

I do have one thought, though. How well would that thing handle in the snow or on ice?

What are the most important considerations when purchasing a treadmill? To find out, I had a chat with John Cammidge, who sells treadmills at the Fitness Superstore, a UK based company.

The most important features that you should look for when purchasing a treadmill that you plan to run on are different than if you were just getting one to walk on. Here are some of the most important:

• Top Speed: If the treadmill can not go fast enough for you to get your workout in, then you aren’t going to use it and you won’t get a good workout if you do use it. A commercial treadmill will usually max out at around 12 miles per hour, which is about 4:50/mile pace.
• Roller Size: The larger a roller, the longer it will last. Look for a roller that has a diameter of 2 inches, or 2½ inches if you can find and afford it. A 1½ inch roller will have to complete many more revolutions to cover the same distance as a larger roller.
• Motor Horsepower: If you plan on doing any sort of long run on your treadmill, then you are going to need at least a 3 horsepower motor. If you only plan on going for short runs or don’t plan on using the treadmill very frequently, then a 1.5HP motor will probably suit your purposes.
• Warranty: If the warranty is short, then the manufacturer has no faith in their product. Be sure to look for a long default manufacturer warranty that covers motor, frame, and labor. You do not want to have to send the treadmill back to the manufacturer for repairs; they should be able to provide on site maintenance through a local contractor.
• Belt Size: The faster you plan on running on your treadmill, then the larger of a belt that you will need. You will also want to make sure that the belt is long enough for your height, so that you do not step off of the front or back of the treadmill.

My wife inherited a treadmill from her grandmother when they sold their house. Despite being many years old, it was basically new as her grandmother rarely used it. Even so, I can’t bring myself to run on it. It is just too slow and too small for me, and I feel that if I were to use it that it would fall apart. When my wife uses it, she only goes for brisk walks.

Based upon my own experiences with treadmills, there are a few other points that you may want to consider when purchasing your treadmill.

• Decibel Level: How loud is the treadmill when it is operating? Our treadmill is extremely noisy, and one of our prime considerations when we replace it is going to be how loud the new one is. A heavy, stable frame will help to cut down on the noise.
• Computer: If you like to have programmable workouts on your treadmill, then be sure to purchase a treadmill with an intuitive display. I have never actually used this feature past looking at how long I’ve been running, how far I’ve ran, and how fast I am currently going. I manually use the incline/decline and speed buttons to control my workouts.
• Max Incline: I never use an incline less than 2 degrees, although I’ll ramp it up as far as 8 or 10 degrees during a workout. If you want to fight boredom and change your workout up, one of the few “terrain” types of changes that you can make with a treadmill is the level of incline.
• Price: How much your treadmill costs is going to make a big difference in what sort of features you are going to get, although the price of manufacturing has been coming down and treadmills have been getting more affordable. You will probably want to spend a few extra dollars to get a treadmill mat, even if you are not worried about protecting your floors. The treadmill mat will prevent dust and dirt from getting sucked up into the motor, which sucks particles up off of the floor due to the static electricity that it generates as it operates. A floor mat can keep your treadmill operating more efficiently and help it to last longer.

This article has been sponsored by The Fitness Superstore, who recommend the following 2 models for serious runners: Horizon-Elite 507 Folding Treadmill – Tunturi-T85 Folding Treadmill

This record attempt was made in an effort to raise money for “Athletes for a Cure” and to promote Accelerade. “Athletes for a Cure” is dedicated to finding a cure for prostrate cancer. People were able to watch Dean run on the treadmill, which was on a platform attached to the Reuters building in Times Square, from 3 different webcams.

While running for 130 miles is impressive in and of itself, I can not imagine running it on a treadmill. I could not understand it when the Great Lakes HSA 24-Hour Treadmill Challenge was going on, and it makes even less sense when you are the only person doing the running rather than participating in a relay.

(Official Site: Accelerade 24-Hour Endurance Run)

1. Taking it too easy
2. Stepping off of a moving treadmill
3. Using the handrails
4. Unnatural stride length
5. Not realizing how much easier it is

My examination of Alwyn Cosgrove’s New Rules of Lifting continued with rule #8 (workouts produce adaptations) and rule #9 (there is no magic system).

I might add that this attempt was done on one treadmill! A Woodway – I am not a treadmill runner, but I have to say this was the sweetest, softest treadmill I have ever used. we averaged 5:30 min per mile over 24 hours – and had more then a couple of sub 5 min miles during the 23rd hour, it didn’t feel as the Treadmill was even working anywhere close to its max -And it wasn’t with a top speed of 18mph.

I last about 15 minutes on a treadmill on normal days, but it is surprising how fast it went by. They hardest thing was staying loose in between runs. I think everyone had problems with tight hamstrings. The Treadmill was $10,000 (new) As our pace was 5:30 over the 24 hours, I think it will take a fairly elite team of 12 to break the record. The previous record was 5:49 pace, but to find 12 guys that can run for roughly 2 hours each at a pace of 5:30 could take some time. In addition, there are very few treadmills that can run for 24 hours at this pace. We were not going to do this event, if we couldn’t use a Woodway. Note – we went to the local health club and blew up two motors practicing for this event! Most T-mills shut down after 2 hours at this pace.

I am sure someone will break [the record] but there are lots of hoops to jump through = for starters, Guinness doesn’t publish this record on their website or in their book so most people are not aware of this record. Also, it will be hard to find 12 runners that can run 5:30’s – actually willing to do the event. Lastly, most treadmills won’t be able to take the speed over 24 hours. But I am certain someone in Europe will attempt to break it.

You can see some of the excitement over on the videos page, including a surprise appearance by Anna Nicole Smith. Sort of.

Each person will need to average around 22 miles within that two hour time span in order to break the record. They may decide to continue running to try and get the 48 hour record if they are feeling up to it. The current 24 hour record is 247 miles, set in the UK last year. The new attempt is aiming for over 250 miles. They are still looking for volunteer witnesses to stand in and watch the runners for an hour at a time. They need at least 48 witnesses over the 24 hour span, and twice that if they keep going for the 48 hour span.

Personally, I would never take part in an attempt like this. I would much rather take part in a relay that is outside rather than try to keep myself from going batty on a treadmill. I can usually manage a mile to warm up before lifting weights, or a few miles if I absolutely can not get outside. One of the alumni from my college running team used to do his fifteen or twenty mile long runs on the treadmills, and I could not understand it then any better than I can understand it now.

(Thanks to Scott at Straight to the Bar for the heads up!)

• Treadmills are softer. You are going to take more of a pounding on asphalt than you would on a treadmill. If you jump into it too fast, you could hurt yourself. However, running on a grass or dirt trail could be even less impact than on the treadmill while still allowing yourself to stretch out a bit and avoid the boredom.
• Running outdoors encourages stronger bone growth. Because there is more of an impact, there is more pressure on your muscles and bones which will lead to faster results when you are training.
• You don’t have to break the wind on a treadmill. While you will not spend as much energy pushing air out of the way as you might on a bicycle, it still constitutes a large percentage of the energy that you are using. Air may not seem like much, but it takes a lot of work to get it out of your way so that your body can pass through it, and this is only made more difficult when there is a headwind pushing that air towards you. On a treadmill, you aren’t actually moving, so you don’t have to push nearly as much air out of the way.
• Running outdoors gets you somewhere. Running is meant as a means of transportation from one place to another by moving over the surface. Running on a treadmill is having the surface move beneath you. It is not quite natural.
• Running outdoors is more exciting. I have a definite bias against running on treadmills, mostly because it is so boring. When you run outside, you need to pay attention to where you put your feet, avoiding traffic and other pedestrians, and enjoying mother nature. There are more distractions that can keep you from dwelling on how tired you are, and to give you something to ignore when preparing for a race and learning how to focus.
• Treadmills allow more opportunity to learn something new while working out. While you could listen to an educational podcast no matter where you run, you don’t have to worry as much about your environment and your safety when you are on a treadmill. The treadmill also offers opportunities to watch television which isn’t something that’s available outdoors.
• Most treadmills do not allow you to run downhill. There are very few treadmills that allow for a negative incline when you are running. For proper working out of the muscles, you need to work downhill and uphill workouts into your training. Always going along a flat or slight incline is not a natural way to move or to train.
• The 5 most common treadmill mistakes do not apply outdoors:
  1. Taking it too easy
  2. Stepping off of a moving treadmill
  3. Using the handrails
  4. Unnatural stride length
  5. Not realizing how much easier it is
• Treadmills are safe from cars, but you are not likely to get thrown off of the ground like you can from a treadmill. Getting hit by a car and being thrown by a treadmill are both experiences I do not really care to repeat.
• It is tougher to hyper-extend your back outside than on a treadmill. If you do not use at least a 1%-2% grade on the treadmill, you can wind up leaning back as the belt kicks your legs backwards and you can hyperextend your back and hurt yourself. Using a small grade on the treadmill forces you to lean forward, which helps to protect your back.^*
• It can sometimes be easier to fit in a workout on a treadmill than it is outside. Inclement weather, health concerns, or having to stay home to watch young children can make it difficult to get outside to run. Often times, a treadmill workout can still be fit in under the circumstances as long as one is available.

I may update this post or write another one at some point as I think of more comparisons between treadmills and running outdoors, but this will do for a quick list off of the top of my head. As you can tell, I much prefer running outdoors. I tend to limit my treadmill training to my 1 mile warmups before lifting weights, when I can help it. Extremely bad weather or health problems might sometimes also send me indoors, but I’d still prefer to be outside most of the time.

My advice for new runners are to skip the treadmill and stick to working up their mileage outdoors. My advice for Wes is to keep running on the treadmill and to slowly work up the outdoor mileage. Having a treadmill base, he would probably be all right just starting to run outdoors but there is a higher risk of hurting himself as his body adjusts. Replacing a run or two a week at first, and gradually moving up to running more and more often outdoors, will allow himself to acclimate to running on a new surface and in different environmental conditions.

(Update: The new last point references a comment by Lee Miller D.C. at the Complete Running Network.)

The fifth mistake: Not understanding how much easier treadmill training is.

Running at a 0° incline with no wind to work against means that the 7 minute pace the treadmill is telling you that you are running is not really equivalent to running at 7 minute pace around a track, for example.

Rick Morris talks about the “treadmill equivalent pace” in his book, Treadmill Training for Runners.

“More than likely you’re not going the speed it says you’re going,” he says. “Because the belt is moving, that’s doing part of the work for you; in addition, there’s no wind resistance.” Because of that, Morris recommends adding a one- or two-percent incline to your run to get a pace more like an outdoors pace.

For instance, a 10-minute mile on a treadmill is equivalent to a 10:43 mile of “free-range” or outdoor running. A 10-minute mile on the treadmill with a one-percent incline translates to a 10:13 free-range mile, and a 10-minute mile with a two-percent incline is a 9:46 mile.

Running without an incline on a treadmill is roughly equivalent to running on a slight downhill slope. To get into a more natural running stride, make it a habit to run at around a 1° incline. Also, decrease the speed when you are simulating a hill workout with a steeper incline; the treadmill doesn’t know that you have to work harder.

The fourth mistake: Not running with a natural stride.

It is not uncommon for people to have one of two major problems with their stride length.

First, they may be afraid that they are going to fall off of the back and will run up at the front of the belt on the treadmill, which means they have a really short stride. Second, they may be near the back of the belt using a long stride. Others may switch up between the two depending upon how much attention you are paying.

Neither way of running are particularly good for you, or helpful. A short and choppy stride or a long and reaching stride can both make it easier to injure yourself. If you are near the front of the treadmill, you can easily go too far forward and kick the front or step off of the belt. If you are near the back, it is not a big stretch of the imagination to see yourself falling off of the treadmill altogether.

The third mistake: Not letting go of the handrails.

Grabbing the handrails is easy, and it makes your workout easier. The problem arises from the fact that you are then supporting your body weight with your arms, which does not elevate your heart rate and basically means you will be wasting your time.

The first treadmill mistake is that people take it too easy. When you use the handrails on a treadmill, calorie consumption is cut and you wind up taking it easier than you might believe you are.

The second treadmill mistake makes it more likely that you will hurt yourself. If the treadmill is moving faster than you think it is based on your effort, you may get surprised and twist or turn or let go and find yourself hurting yourself this way, as well.

You often see people holding onto the handrails of the treadmills at the gym. If you are checking your pulse (and your treadmill supports that), then that is fine. Just let go once you have the number you are looking for. Otherwise, you are better off not using them at all.

The second mistake: Stepping off of a moving treadmill.

Stepping off of a moving treadmill is dangerous. Don’t do it, m’kay?

On a serious note, stepping off of a treadmill that is going at full speed can injure your joints and contribute to nagging injuries that take the fun out of your workouts and your every day life.

A more immediate danger to stepping off of a moving treadmill is that you may lose your balance and get thrown. Last year, I stepped off of a treadmill with only half of my foot, and the next thing I know I was getting stopped by the wall about 4 feet behind me. Granted, I was not trying to step off, I was just a little too innattentive when I was running at about 5 minute pace and the belt was moving quickly. The danger is still there even when you are trying to step off of the belt.

The first mistake: Taking it too easy and not working hard enough.

Many people when they get on a treadmill walk at a couple miles per hour at a 0° incline, which in many cases is an easier saunter than if they were walking around their house. Increasing the intensity is called for in order to make sure that being on the treadmill is worth doing. Increasing the speed and/or the incline can make a near worthless walk that burns 50 calories turn into an only slightly tougher walk from a perception standpoint that burns a few hundred calories over the same amount of time.