Mar
20
Hi
Right now I am following a plan where I run for 3 min and walk 2 minutes after that, repeating it 6xs. If I were to use the treadmill (which I haven’t yet), what would a good speed be that I could run at and walk at ? Or to truly benefit from the workout, should I just lower and raise the speed when I need to?
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2 Responses to “Good speed on treadmill for running and walking intervals?”
In order for us to recommend speeds, we would have to know more about your current running ability.
Does the plan you are on have guidelines for speed or effort? If so, follow those guidelines. If not, have you been running on a track or outdoors? If so, use a comparable effort on the treadmill.
For walking speed, use a setting that is normal walking effort for you. For most people, this might be 2.5 to 4 mph. For the intervals, use an effort that allows you to finish an interval feeling challenged but also feeling that you could have done a little longer. When you finish the workout, you should feel challenged, but also that you could have done more intervals.
Since running on a treadmill is easier than outdoor running, you should do the interval phase on an include. Try 2% grade.
Excellent question!
This really should depend on what sort of speed you can maintain during a road race. There are two race times that you should get for this purpose: a 5K and a 10K time. However, running just one 5K or one 10K is not enough. It’s important to develop a track record, where you can see a pattern. The reasons for this will become obvious as you improve. For now, though, let’s say you have established both 5K and 10K PR’s (Personal Records).
For the sake of argument, I’m going to presume that you are not yet training for your first marathon. When you are ready for that step, we can go into more detail. However, further detail is not a necessity at this time.
If we presume that you have a 10K PR that translates into roughly an 8-minute mile (or, in other words, 50 minutes for the 10K), then we have a baseline from which to draw. When you are using a treadmill, you might want to use it in order to improve your speed. One way is to run faster, albeit in shorter bursts, than your 10K race pace. In this instance, a 50 minute 10K time translates to about 7.5 MPH. You should want your running speed on the treadmill to be greater than that, perhaps pushing it up to about 8 or 8.5 MPH. Hold that pace for as long as you can, and then slow it down to a walking pace until you’ve got your wind back. Then, do it again. You will notice very little difference between 7.5 and 7.6 MPH, but it will be there, eventually. There is a much more noticeable difference when you jump up to 8MPH, and again more so when you jump to 8.5 MPH.
The idea behind the slowdown period is to give your body a chance to rest and get some oxygen into it. As your conditioning improves, it will recover faster, so the interval time will be shorter. Understand this: when we talk about “interval training”, we mean the interval of time BETWEEN the times when you are running.
As a personal standard, I used 100 BPM (beats per minute) as my baseline. Once my pulse got back down to that level, I’d start to run again, and then I’d hold that running speed until I needed that break.
Please notice what is happening here: work, rest, work, rest, work, rest. After we do some work, the body needs to rest and recuperate. At any given level of fitness, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of oxygen in the body in order to fuel the muscles. Without that, we go into “oxygen debt” or “oxygen starvation”
There is one general problem with slowing down to that walking pace, however, and that is the question of how long to hold that pace. If you hold it until your pulse gets back to your resting pulse rate, you are walking too much! You do need to keep the pulse moving along, so don’t let it get below a baseline (100 BPM is okay, but you have to see if it’s comfortable for you). If you still feel winded when your pulse is down to 100 BPM, then you have to wait a bit longer before starting your next running segment.
One thing to understand: What is good for one person is not necessarily good for the person next to you. You probably have different levels of ability, fitness, stamina, etc, so different programs are a necessity. Cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all programs don’t really work in running!
Good luck, and good running!