Purpose of the Treadmill

Is it the miles in my running log, or is it the reason I run each run that is important? It is probably both.

During the winter build-up and foundational training season, I find myself being a wimp. I hate the cold...it hurts me, so I succumb to running on the treadmill for some of my sessions. Are these junk miles? Maybe. Do they count the same as running outside? Not likely. BUT, they have a purpose.

Running on the treadmill does at least one thing very important to my base training: foot turnover and foot strike.

Foot turnover is cadence / speed of the foot striking in the ground in a specific amount of time. The faster the foot turnover, the more efficient the runner can be. If over a mile, the foot strikes the ground more, the faster the runner is propelled forward. Seems simple, but it is not. Foot turnover forces efficiency and better form, which leads to increased endurance. Increased endurance is paramount to strength, and strength increases performance levels.

The second part of the equation is foot strike. When the legs turn over at a faster rate, if the runner strikes the ground with the foot under the hip, the calf and hamstrings load like coiled springs, bouncing the leg off the ground with greater power, and naturally moving the legs forward, leading with the knee. A good example is found here: http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2013/01/06/video-the-principles-natural-running/

Why is this important? A runner who maximizes efficiency (regardless of the shoes they wear), they increase longevity...in terms of endurance and health. Using a treadmill, while not nearly as beneficial as running outside, is a great training mechanism to focus on how fast your legs are turning over and where / how your foot is striking the ground. And for the geeks, you can easily set up a camcorder to video how you are running, for analysis and modification.

Running fast is not about getting the legs moving as fast as possible. Well, it is, but it MUST BE DONE in a certain way, or suffer through injury and loss of efficiency. So while I care very much about how many miles I run in a week, I care just as much as how I run those miles. After a few sessions on the treadmill during the freezing cold mornings, when I run outside, my body instinctively mimics how I was running inside. The result is I run faster, easier, and with less effort.

This is call foundational building.

Another benefit of staring at the wall for hours is emotional endurance...over the course of a marathon or ultra distance, the mind loses focus. On a treadmill, you are exercise your mind and your legs. Both are absolutely necessary to a positive increase in performance and enjoyment of running.

In the end, for me anyway, it is not about how fast I run. It is all about the joy of running. And I find more joy when I can run more. To run more, I need to run farther. To run farther, I need to be stronger. To be stronger, I need to run more efficiently. To run more efficiently, I need to stay healthy. To do all these things, I need to maximize the time on the treadmill.

M