Happy, happy Friday!
When I run outside I am happy to keep a comfortable pace while I listen to music or an audiobook, enjoy the scenery and zone out. On the other hand, when I run on the treadmill I need a lot more stimulation.
One way that I entertain myself is by reviewing BodyPump choreography if I’m scheduled to teach in the next couple of days. It keeps my mind busy and not focused on the very slowly passing time. The other way I entertain myself is by turing my treadmill runs into challenging workouts with sprint intervals while I listen to really upbeat and motivating music. I wanted to share with you the treadmill workout that I have been doing for the last few months. It’s a 5K run with varying sprint intervals.
It usually takes me a few minutes to get warmed up and my mind ready when I get on the treadmill so I start with an easy 10 minute warm up jog at a really comfortable pace. I’m usually about a mile in by the time this is done and then I up the pace and move into 10 minutes of intervals. For the first five I do a 45 second work/15 second rest while increasing the pace slightly every rest interval. By the time the first five minutes are up I have worked into a pace that is challenging to maintain for 45 seconds. I then reduce the work to 20 seconds and rest 10 seconds for the next five minutes, which is essentially 10 tabata intervals. I continue to up the speed during this time too so that the last few intervals are really fast and really hard but doable because you’re only on for 20 seconds.
By the time the second 10 minutes is up I’m usually about 2.3-2.5ish miles in and I reduce the pace and jog out the rest of the 5K to recover. The entire workout usually takes anywhere from 25-27ish minutes. I noted the treadmill speed that I generally use for this workout above but the workout can be performed in the same way whether you’re faster or slower. I always feel like I got a really great cardio session in after doing this treadmill interval workout. It’s quick and effective!
Try it out and let me know what you think!
In other food and fitness news…
Thursday lunch was a salad with greens, artichokes, feta, pecans, red pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, dried cranberries, chick peans and grilled chicken with white balsamic.
Dinner was a burger with chili aioli and a side of avocado with roasted baby potatoes and roasted brussels and mushrooms.
After salad overdose this week, lunch today was a blackened turkey sandwich on locally baked eight-grain bread with feta greek dressing, avocado, turkey bacon, tomato and muenster along with some salt and vinegar kettle chips and grapes and raspberries.
As far as workouts go, I did the above treadmill workout yesterday while reviewing BodyPump notes and then taught BodyPump. Class was AWESOME and my body felt AWESOME! I was grinning ear to ear the whole time. Love those days!
Today was just early AM yoga to stretch it out after yesterday’s tough workouts.
How do you stay sane on the treadmill?
I do the same thing on the treadmill and learn/review BP!! And I love BP, I just taught this morning and had a huge smile on my face as soon as we started the first dead lift of the warm up!! Happy Friday. 🙂
teaching bodypump is just so much fun! it’s been my favorite certification that i’ve ever done (well minus 200 hr ytt) and i always credit bp for teaching me to be a good teacher!
I used to run soley on the treadmill because there were no parks/trails near where we lived. I guess because I didn’t have any other options, I just didn’t think about it! But we live near a great waterfront running trail now, so I try to take all my runs outdoors. The treadmill is most definitely the DREADmill for me now. My motivation just wanes when I think about it. I’m going to give your workout a try though. 20 minutes isn’t so bad!
I love your gym shoes!! So fun! I did a treadmill workout yesterday similar to this one that you posted, great workout! Sweat city! I pushed myself until I was gasping for air and then I had a recovery jog after. It really felt amazing!
I love your blog!
thanks for reading! 🙂
Just like you I do challenging workouts on the treadmill!, because I find the “dreadmill” to be well dreadful. I like to do 5 minutes on and then a circuit, which usually consist of plyometrics, planks, and body weight exercises. Your salads always look awesome!
ditto! i love breaking up the running as part of a circuit!
I feel the same way about treadmill workouts, I always have to keep switching things up whether it be the speed or incline. My favorite thing though is to do sprints. I I feel like I get a better workout with interval workouts and also they’ve done studies that interval workouts lessen your appetite for up to 24! ( I actually wrote a post about it a few weeks ago!)
oh, i am going to check this post out!!!!
I have always had to use the treadmill in training for my marathons the past couple years because of the snow we have in the winter. The only option I have is the treadmill! I play a lot of mind games with myself and love throwing intervals in to keep me sane! It seems to me the more often you do it the easier it gets!
when it’s the only option you do what you’ve gotta do!
I LOVE reviewing my Bodypump notes on the treadmill 🙂 Multitasking at it’s finest!
I don’t teach Body Pump (or anything), but I have this vision of myself reviewing choreography and kind of moving my arms a little bit (we used to call it “marking” the moves in dance) and then getting distracted and FLYING off the treadmill! HA! I have to do intervals or play some mental mind games, or at least watch TV or listen to really awesome music … I am really not a treadmill fan and love running outside so much more!
haha, i definitely do that and then feel like everyone’s like, what’s that girl doing. the best is when i’m also mouthing the cues i want to say in class! 😛
good music also motivates me!
When you are doing the “rest” portion of the interval, do you slow the speed down or step off to the sides of the belt?
hopping to the sides! sorry i did not clarify that.
Loved this! Just went up to 2 miles this morning and it was perfect. I needed something new to try! That, plus squats/lunges until my legs were burning and I was set.
perfect! glad it worked for you! xo
I love this treadmill workout! Simple but intense. Thanks for sharing!
you’re welcome!
As usual your sandwiches look more than appetizing! I need to learn to think outside the box more with mine.
i like to get creative with them! this weekend i did a snack with toasted bread, apple slices and brie and stuck it under the broiler. yum!
Hi Jen !
After lots of tears and injuries I ran the Chicago Marsthon on Sunday and it was AMAZING!
I even beat my goal for 4:33 and went in at 4: 20
Crazziness!!
I need to give my body a breath and peel off the weight I gained from my carb lading.
Help , suggestions.
I gained a ton of weight during this adventure , but ran amazingly .
I need a new hobby to keep focused 😉
Ideas? Thought?