Fun Treadmill Workouts and Training Runs

By Rick Morris

Who says running on the treadmill has to be boring. Running is fun and treadmill training is still running. Here are some fun and motivational treadmill training runs that will make treadmill running fun again.

The Commercial Crasher

I really hate television commercials, but I guess they are a necessary evil for free TV broadcasts. Why not use the commercials to not only make your treadmill training run fun but also improve your running fitness, speed and power. Here are some commercial crasher treadmill runs that will improve your fitness and make your treadmill run more enjoyable.

Basic Commercial Crasher

Here's a fun treadmill run that simple to perform. Run for between 30 and 60 minutes at your easy endurance pace. Increase your speed to tempo pace for the duration of each commercial before slowing back down to your easy endurance pace.

Tempo Commercial Crasher

This fun treadmill workouts is easy to perform as long as you are able to view a television during your run. Simply run for 30 to 60 minutes at your tempo pace. Whenever a commercial comes on increase your pace to 5K speed and maintain that speed for the duration of the commercial break. Then slow back down to tempo pace. For an easier version of this workout do the majority of your treadmill run at easy endurance pace and speed up to 10K pace during the commercials.

Marathon Long Run Commercial Crasher

Make your treadmill marathon training long runs more enjoyable and effective by adding in some goal pace running. Perform your normal marathon training long run of between 12 and 25 miles. Run at your easy endurance pace. Increase your pace to marathon race pace for the duration of each commercial break.

The Commercial Break

This fun treadmill run will make you appreciate and look forward to frequent commercial breaks. During these treadmill workouts you will take a recovery break during the television commercials. Make this treadmill training run even more fun and effective by doing a treadmill run that's specific to your goal or goal training run.

The Beginning Runners Break

Run between 20 and 45 minutes at your easy endurance break. Whenever a commercial break comes on walk for the duration of the break. Then speed back up to your easy endurance pace.

The Lactate Turn Point Break

Here is fun treadmill run that is great at improving your lactate turn point. Run for 30 to 45 minutes at your 10K race pace. During each commercial break slow down to your easy endurance pace. Speed back up to 10K race pace when the commercial ends.

The Marathon Long Run Break

Walking a portion of marathon training long runs is a technique that has become popular in recent years. The theory is that the recovery of the walking breaks will give your muscles just enough recovery to get you through your long training runs in relative comfort. This is an effective training technique as long  as you plan on taking walking breaks during your marathon. If your goal is to run the entire marathon I don't recommend using walking breaks in training. If you do plan on taking walking breaks in your marathon this is a fun and effective marathon long run break workout.

Perform your planned marathon training long run of between 12 and 25 miles at easy endurance pace. Slow down to a brisk walking pace for the duration of commercial break. Then speed back up to your easy endurance pace.

The Duathlon

This is not only a fun and motivating treadmill run, it can also get you on the road to your first duathlon. Begin with 15 minutes at tempo pace on your treadmill. The switch to your exercise bike for 30 minutes at a moderate pace. Finish this 60 minute workout with another 15 minutes on your treadmill at 10K pace.

The Duathlon Interval Workout

Here is a fun treadmill/bike workout that will build your speed and fitness. Exercise for 30 minutes alternating between 5 minutes on your treadmill at 10K pace and 5 minutes on your exercise bike at a hard pace.

5K - 30K - 5K Duathlon

Forget the training runs. Have some real fun with this actual duathlon. Begin by running a 5K on your treadmill. Then switch to your exercise bike for 30 minutes before finishing your duathlon with another 5K on your treadmill. Pace yourself just as you would in an actual duathlon. Try to finish your duathlon as fast as possible.

Go Cross Country

Did you ever want to quit your job and run across country or maybe around the world? Unless you win the lottery you probably won't be able to do that. Or maybe you can. Set your goal of how far you want to run. It could be across your town, your state, the country or around the entire world. Hang a large map of your route near your treadmill. After each treadmill run move a stick pin along the route according to how many miles you have run. Your goal may be medium distance or very long distance. This fun treadmill workout will keep you motivated for your daily run.

Treadmill Race Simulator

Why just do training runs on your treadmill. Spice up your treadmill running by doing an actual race. This fun run is also an effective way to learn negative split skills. Run a 5K or 10K race on your treadmill. Begin your training run at slightly slower than your goal race pace. Gradually increase your pace throughout you treadmill race so that the last mile is slightly faster than race pace. Run the final 1/4 mile or 400 meters at sprint pace.