In Singapore, we are pretty lucky in that we get good weather for running outdoors. The sun is out all year round, we do get rain but it’s not something that will deter you from putting on that pair of shoes and run. But sometimes it is difficult to get out and get wet when you are dry. So it was on Thursday. I usually enjoy running in the rain but not on this particular Thursday. To the gym and onto the treadmill then.
I hate the treadmill, I actually call it the dreadmill. I had told someone once, that I pity the guy, who drives 10km to the gym to run nowhere, when there is so much open space to run outdoors. Well sometimes circumstances call for the dreadmill.
seriously guys, with the outdoors like this so accessible in Singapore, why run on the dreadmill?
Business travel is one such circumstance. When I was a road warrior for an Oil and Gas major, business travel took up 75% of my time. I do get the opportunity to run outdoors in the city to which I visit but most often schedule will only allow me 30 minutes at the gym. I am sure some of you can identify with this. The weather is another circumstance and this Thursday past, that circumstance was the rain.
The reason I hate the dreadmill is the boredom that sets in. So what kind of workout can you do on the dreadmill?
Repeats for strength is my go to dreadmill workout. You can do this when you traveling on business and you have a tight schedule, which allows you only 30 minutes at the gym, but you really need that run. This dreadmill repeat workout will definitely get you pumping and de-stress you when you’re that business trip. Its basically a repeat workout for strength and endurance but done on a dreadmill.
Here is how:
- Get on the dreadmill. For this workout, you need to learn the controls on the machine. Which is pretty easy really. Set to manual workout. Find the speed up and speed down buttons. These are the only buttons you need to toggle. Keep your eyes on the speed and distance monitors.
- Walk for 1 minute @ 5km/ h
- Slow run for 3 minutes @ 7 to 8 km/h.
- Select your base speed. You want to be comfortable and breathing normally. This is also your resting speed. For me, base speed is 8km/h.
- Now the fun starts.
- Dial up the speed to 12km/h – 15km/h and run 400 meters. You need to be at a speed that will make you breathe heavily. Your helter skelter pace. This is the stress stage of your workout.
- When you’ve hit 400 meters (look at the distance monitor), dial down to your base speed. Mine is 8km/h.
- Run 200 meters at your base speed. This is the recovery stage of your workout.
- Repeat steps 6-8, 5 times.
- When you have completed 5 x 400 repeats at helter skelter pace, dial down your speed to 5km/h and walk 3 minutes.
- You are done. Get off the dreadmill. You should be drenched.
- Stretch
This workout will take you 30 minutes or 35 minutes max, depends on what your helter skelter pace is. For a sense of what is helter skelter pace, listen to this.
In addition, if your circumstance for running indoors on the dreadmill is not business travel and a hectic schedule, perform these muscle conditioning workout from Menshealth that will make you run faster.
Manage your time, use the tools and resources at hand, adapt to the circumstance you are faced with and get on with it, achieve your goals. That is the lesson.