Welcome to my final post before leaving for Cuba! Today’s expertise comes to you from several of my experienced running friends who are all suffering through winter, just like you. I know for a fact some of them love running in the snow but, even the most insane/adventurous among us have to resign our running feet to the treadmill for one reason or another. The secret, of course, is remaining sane while you run, hamster-like to nowhere…fast.

I know there is a lot of hate out there for the treadmill but, I for one am extremely grateful for mine! Here are my secrets to a long and happy relationship with a treadmill…

SPEED

It goes without saying you need some sort of interval plan before you step onto the treadmill. Keeping your mind occupied and your feet moving are the keys to having a great treadmill workout. If you foolishly attempt to run on the treadmill with no clear plan, you only have yourself to blame.

Below is one of my favorite workout as of late and by “favorite” I mean it almost killed me but I felt fantastic afterward.

Obviously tweak the paces to make them manageable for you. Listening to “Work Bitch” by Brittany while you do it, doesn’t hurt either.

STEP OFF OFTEN

Another way to make the treadmill less horrible is to use it as an interval device. Sometimes getting on for “just” one mile (or even a half mile) is so much less mentally taxing, even if your total run equals several miles.

Try this…

 

KEEP YOUR BRAIN BUSY

For whatever reason I can’t watch movies or listen to podcasts when I’m on the treadmill. I have no clue why because I can do it quite nicely on the indoor bike trainer. Since my options are listen to music or the voices in my head, I tend to go with option one, whenever possible.

These are a few of my favorite tunes. It’s admittedly an eclectic mix.

A Little More (feat. Victoria Monet) | Machine Gun Kelly

Believe | Mumford and Sons

Hymn for the Weekend | Coldplay

Scars to Your Beautiful | Alessia Cara

24K Magic | Bruno Mars (I also dance to this while on the treadmill #sorrynotsorry)

Remember the Name | Fort Minor (LOTS of swearing, warning!)

Blank Space | Taylor Swift (don’t judge, I love this song)

Celebrity Skin | Hole

Prayer in C | Robin Schulz & Lilly Wood

Starboy | The Weekend (the words to this song are awful and he’s a jerk but I still love it) 

Sit Still, Look Pretty | Daya (the words to this song are hilarious! have you listened closely?)

4 MORE IDEAS 

…because this is how much we care about your sanity!

SARAH | RUN FAR GIRL

LAURA | THIS RUNNER’S RECIPES

NELLIE | BROOKLYN ACTIVE MAMA

ANGELA | HAPPY FIT MAMA

Hope these workouts keep you all sane until I get back! I will be fighting heat and humidity all the way to the finish line in Havana. See you on the other side…

Adios!

[Tweet “Gone #crazy on the #treadmill? Bring sanity back with these #tips and #workouts! #RunIt”]

How do you stay sane on the treadmill?

What’s a song you love to hate lately?

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