fellow tredmiller's

[iwillbeskinny]

i know its not all about speed but im putting the question out there to my fellow tredmill runners, having no confidence to run outside ive completed all my runs on tredmill, it hasnt been easy for me and i have total admiration for all ya roadrunners! just wondering what kind of speed you run at? im at 4.0 for brisk walk and currently 5.2 for a run. i tried upping to 5.5 from 7 weeks at 5.0 but too much too soon and a failed run put me off. im pretty sure the tredmill is set to kph. any feedback greatful for comparison. thanks!

[Malcy Graduate]

Sounds like your machine is set to miles per hour - a normal walking pace is around 3mph (20 minutes per mile). I'd put a brisk pace at about 4mph - enough to get a sweat going after the 5 mins warm up. I find it is just possible to walk at 5mph but it's hard going & much easier to be running at that pace. You should be able to switch between kph and mph - you user manual will tell you how (you can download the manuals for most popular treadmills from the makers web site).

I wouldn't worry too much about your speed though. As the podcasts say, it's more important to build stamina by getting through the miles - speed can & will come later. You'll know if you are going at the right pace for yourself if you're a bit sweaty at the end of your session. If not, I'd try upping the speed by 0.1 mph at a time. You'll not notice the difference but doing that even once a week will soon have you up to 6.2 (the pace for a 30 minute 5k run). If you think that's impossible, just think back 7 weeks to when you did week 1. You probably wouldn't have thought you could run the 25 minutes or so that you are doing now!

And don't feel inferior for using a mill. I like to run outside in the spring & summer but now it's getting colder & wetter, it's the mill for me. Loads of folk love running in the rain bu, like pace, it's all down to your preference. Any fool can be cold & miserable (:->). But maybe you could try venturing outside on one of those lovely crisp autumn mornings - maybe head out of town or go to another town where nobody knows you?

Hope that helps

[Bongodrums Graduate]

Hi iwillbeskinny. I also have a treadmill, had it for a few years but never really built up to running on it. Would walk briskly on it for about 30 mins at an incline of 1 or 2 at about 4.7mph but I found it sooooo boring. I went on it about 7 weeks ago and 8mins in it suddenly ground to a halt!!!! Myself and my husband couldn't get it to restart so he forced me out of the door with me protesting 'no people will see me!'. I ran, well mainly walked for approx 2 miles around local fields and then later that week my husband discovered C25K. I can honestly say I haven't looked back, I am now about to start week 6 & I don't care who sees me now. I am not brilliant or fast but I am trying and it is so lovely being out in the fresh air. I'm even looking forward to running in the rain & in cooler temperatures. We are now going to get the treadmill repaired and sell it to make way for a pool table!!!!

Happy running whatever you choose to do but if I can run outside you surely can. Good luck

[mcc65 Graduate]

Hi iwillbeskinny, like you I'm using a treadmill 'cos I need to shift a few stone let alone a few pounds and really didn't want to be seen running in the streets, especially as I live in quite a small town where you constantly bump into people you know!!!

I aspire to getting up to the speeds you are achieving, I am really unfit so have been taking it really easy to ensure that I can complete each week as some early advice I was given was that completing the programme was much more important than the speed as you can build on that later.

My walking pace is currently 2.5mph and am jogging (if you can call it that) at 3mph although I am just starting W6 and starting to feel that I want to go a bit faster but even at the slow speed I am going I'm noticing that my general fitness is improving and I'm recovering faster after each run.

With the tougher runs coming up I think I'm going to persevere at my current pace and then look at upping it at the end of W9 rather than jeopardise my progress,

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

[Nickyrunning Graduate]

Hi there, I did the whole programme on a treadmill and still run using mine if my husband is away, which means I cant run outside, but now I'm fitter I also run outside (really struggled for a few runs but am now up to 7.5k outside which I'm pleased about). Your speed sounds like it is mph and is similar to mine. I walk at 4.5 and run at anything between 5 and 5.5 depending on how long the run is. Good luck xx