Can you marathon train on treadmill

Training indoors on a treadmill will allow you to avoid these issues and not miss a day. Running on a treadmill is easier than running on the road. They also force you to keep a steady pace. This will help you keep your miles logged at a pace you are aiming for without having to use as much mental effort.

However, because running is easier on a treadmill, you may want to increase speed or incline to make it more challenging, and more like running on pavement. So if you run a mile outdoors, try running a or even mile on the treadmill. Also, add at least one percent incline for flat race training. This will help mimic road running, where a motor is not moving the street along beneath you.

If you know your marathon route will have hills, treadmill training will definitely come in handy. This will essentially be a timeline that progresses you from your starting point today all the way up to just before your marathon.

Your training plan will consist of how many miles you run and at what pace and incline each day. With a little research, you can find training plans already outlined. For instance, one plan might focus more on improving speed by incorporating short sprint intervals and lengthier tempo runs. Another might just be aimed at adding distance. When in doubt, you can create your own and just do what feels right for your body with your end goal in sight. An example of a simple training plan would be to start with a minute warmup at a very easy jogging pace.

Then what? I would imagine those first few miles of your marathon race would feel a little wonky if not the entire thing but as far as training your aerobic system by running enough mileage, as I outline here , they could probably perform mostly as intended. This would be especially true if you were smart about your training by implementing a variety of workouts, including hills. I for one hope I never have to experience that myself.

If you are a trails person, this is perfect for you. Very few treadmills have a decline option. We also got a free year of iFit with it, which I absolutely love using.

Our friends had this one so we tried it out. It was so smooth and would clearly be an excellent treadmill for someone logging lots of miles. But how much is going to be different for every runner. Not everyone is going to be able to run outside when they want to and having a treadmill is helpful.

Based on the disadvantages of the treadmill, doing at least half of your runs outside will probably maintain a good balance between the two. I personally like doing most of my recovery runs and hill work on the treadmill and getting outside for all of my speed work and long runs.

It works for me! What works for you when using a treadmill? Have you ever trained for a marathon completely on a treadmill? Hi, I'm Jane! I'm an avid runner who races 5ks to marathons. After a first marathon, I came back to the distance years later running a BQ time of I did a lot wrong for a long time and finally started doing a lot right. Are you new to trail running and wondering how it differs from road running? As someone who ran only roads for a very long time before adding in some trails, it's normal to wonder what to Skip to content.

Advantages of Treadmill Marathon Training Let me start by saying as a mom with 3 young children, my treadmill is something I rely on heavily. Continue Reading. Privacy Policy. Wearing them to do a workout is just plain dumb and puts you at risk of knee injuries and other problems. Vanity has no place in serious marathon training — indoor or outdoor. So, wear shoes that have extra sole support and can protect your feet and heels from the impact of your run.

It can be tempting to stick to the same routine day after day. Change one aspect of your training every week. You can increase the incline of your treadmill to mimic running up a hill. You can go for faster runs to build endurance, etc. Not only will this prep you for your marathon, you actually burn more calories by mixing up your workout routines. Have you actually seen a marathon runner swinging his arms to his sides or crisscrossing them in front while in the middle of a run?

Because marathon runners conserve energy by keeping their arms relaxed and bent parallel to their sides as they go. Keeping proper running form is essential to complete these long runs.

The same thing applies when you are training for a marathon indoors. You exert more effort swinging your arms when running on the treadmill. Practice keeping your arms on your sides all the time. Even Usain Bolt limits his intense training to three hours a day. Even the fastest runner on the planet knows well enough the value of rest and does not overtrain. Excessive muscle soreness will only set you back. So listen to what your body is telling you and avoid training for more than an hour at a time.

One thing that new and experienced marathon runners commonly underestimate is the importance of recovery during marathon training. In fact, athletes do a lot of their running at an easy pace between training or events, to allow their bodies to recover. The varying intensities will continue to prepare your body for actual marathons while giving you the recovery time to adjust to your next intense workout. Getting enough sleep is a crucial part of your recovery. Keep computers and mobile phones away from your bedside and try to avoid eating a huge meal right before bedtime.

Avoid late-night caffeine fixes and alcohol. Keep the lights in your bedroom low and the temperature cool to help you fall asleep faster. If you simply increase the training volume and intensity week by week, you might find yourself burning out.

As much as progressive training is important, you need to rest. So, every three weeks into your training plan, make sure that you set days or a week for recovery. Go for easy pace days by adjusting your treadmill settings to lower speeds and inclines.

Or switch it up a bit and go for a massage to relax your leg and foot muscles, helping it to recover. The thing that sets marathons apart from other running events is it takes a long time for participants to finish. You need to be strong mentally as you are physically to get through a marathon.