So basically I have this issue where I get injured a lot. It’s annoying to say the least, but I am continually adapting my training to try to reduce the injury risk. That’s why I’ve incorporated lower mileage and more cross training into my regime. However, when it comes to workouts, there is no real replacement for actual running. The bike, elliptical, and pool all have their place, but they just CANNOT replicate the aerobic and muscular burn that I feel during a running workout. For that reason, I have been trying to think of a lower-impact way to get in the same stimulus that a running workout provides. Enter the treadmill: an unlimited supply of continuous uphill running that allows me to get my heartrate up to 185bpm while moving at a modest 8min/mile pace.
Using an aggressive 10% incline, I can run between 6.5-7.5mph while my racing heart rate and burning legs suggest I’m racing a 5k. This allows me to run 45 minutes at a tempo effort while covering only ~65% of the distance…which means 65% of the impact. This might just sound like a version of medieval torture to most people, but, to me, it sounds like an absolute life hack. Watch this video to see me suffer on the treadmill and hear more of my thoughts on uphill workouts.
