The Dreadmill

Zwift is a game changer for the dreadmill.  Not exactly sure why but it definately makes things go easier.

In the current climate - lockdown, hot out, boring as fuck - doing sessions on a treadmill seems insane.

However, the benefits (for me) are - 

• No pounding on feet.  It's softer so I don't feel my legs are battered immediately after, no hobbling about after my legs lock up.
• Have to hold a quick, sustained pace and concentrate on fooooorrrmmm.  I'm lacking leg speed, this is a short cut to getting faster leg turnover.
• No travelling to find quick ground.  Lets face it, I'd have to go to the track really to get the same benefit.  For a short sharp and solo session that seems like overkill.

Today's session was 8 mins warm up @ 14 kmph.  Then 10 x (60 secs fast, 30 secs recovery).  The fast started at 18 kmph and rose by .1 (.2 last one) until it was 19 kmph on number 10.  The recovery was done at 10 kmph.

That was followed by 7 mins cool down at 13.5 kmph. 

Paces seems slow, but my little legs are flat out.  First few I was considering a pyramid but managed to stick it out.  After 6 it started to feel more relaxed.

Those paces translate from 5.20/mm down to 5.00/mm.  10 mins of effort at roughly 5.10/mm but it seems waaay faster.  Also, by starting at the right pace (takes about 10 secs to build up) you cannot blow your beans running way to fast and then slowing towards the finish and holding on.  

The acid test is does this translate to quicker times outdoors?  We shall see but for short speed sessions I think treadmill may be helping me at the minute more than on road.

Don't get me wrong, when it comes to easy and steady runs I will 100% be on the roads but maybe I'll test some tempo work.  

Zwift helps with the boredom but the paces are laughably out on the fast stuff.  It's fairly even on the slow and steady but at 18-19kmph (treadmill speed) it was reading 15.7-16 kmph on Zwift lol

I'll probably do a very fast speed session on Thursday - maybe 2 x 4 x 35 secs (200m efforts) at 21 kmph (that's roughly 4:35/mm or target 800m pace) with long recoveries (2-3 mins and 5 mins).

Plan this week is speed focus so not sure about km session on Saturday or maybe a quick tempo run if legs feel OK instead.  Around that I'll just do regular easy runs around the trails.  Feel much better after a rest day I must admit.