Unless you live and run in a climate with no rain, no snow, no intense heat, no bone-chilling cold, and now sudden storms, your scheduled workouts are sometimes interrupted by bad weather. Last summer, here in St. Louis, we had many days that started out as sunny and dry, but were rainy in the late afternoon. To be sure, many outside corridors got soaked.
A good treadmill allows runners to complete their workouts in the comfort, warmth, and safety of their own homes. With cold water, TV and bathroom nearby.
Rick Morris has been a competitive runner since the 1970s. He is a professional running coach, certified personal trainer, president of Running Planet Inc, and owner of the Running Planet dot com website. So you know the joys and pitfalls of running away from your own experiences and those of your clients.
This book extensively covers the pros and cons of using a treadmill. His general conclusion is that competitive racers should be exhausted when possible, but, as noted above, that is not always possible.
Treadmills are an acceptable substitute for running on the road. They can also offer benefits. For example, they may be inclined to double the effect of running on slopes. Many runners live in flat areas. Additionally, they force runners to maintain a constant speed rather than slow down as they tire.
I’ll add a benefit that he doesn’t have. We are now learning that barefoot running is healthier in the sense of allowing the muscles in our feet, ankles, and arches to flex and get a good workout. After all, people have been running for a million years, long before Nike started running and even before running shoes were invented.
Few of us grew up running barefoot through the jungle like Kenyan marathoners did, so our feet don’t have soles thick enough to withstand pavement, ashes from footprints, rocks, and possible broken glass. But a treadmill does not present any of those problems.
It reviews the extensive features available on the modern treadmill and provides a buyer’s guide that explains all the things to consider.
Most of the book consists of explaining individual treadmill workouts and then providing weeks of suggested training programs.
Singles include: endurance, speed, endurance, speed, hill workouts, and long runs.
The training programs are: Beginners, Finish a 5K, Finish a 10K, Weight Loss, Fitness / Recreational Runner, Finish a Half Marathon, Finish a Marathon, and Training for Competitive Runners.
Along the way, it provides a lot of useful information for all runners, whether they use a treadmill or not: use of their heart rate, use of perceived exertion, and the various types of workouts.
As you point out, the biggest problem with treadmills is that the good ones cost as much as a small car, and the cheap models aren’t worth it.
However, if you are wealthy or serious enough, a good treadmill is a great investment in your running career, and therefore your long-term health and fitness.