Run Test on Treadmill

kimmydct

I'll be heading into testing for JOS in a few weeks.  Due to location/weather, I have always done my OS 5k tests on the 'mill.  I haven't however done them at the prescribed 2% incline.  (I honestly think I did 'em flat or MAYBE .5%)  Do I start JOS fresh with 2% incline knowing it will be way slower (if I can even run 3 miles @ 2%) , or do I shoot to have apples to apples vs. last year and stay flat on the mill for the test? 

roblroy2

I tend to run mine at 2% incline. This is actually supposed to be harder than running outside on a flat surface. (http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php) here's the conversion chart if you don't have it. My opinion is that you would want to train in conditions that are as hard or harder than racing (train hard, race easy) and that you start out with a fresh incline for this season. The starting number might be kind of depressing, but you know it doesn't matter. You are training to improve so it just sets a good baseline for this year's work. The true test isn't on the treadmill tests but what your race results look like next year. Anyway, just my novice opinion - hope it helps.

richmiani

@Kim - the below link is not quite an answer to your question but does have some thoughts on incline, outdoor vs. indoor stuff...might be useful for you
http://members.endurancenation.us/Training/TrainingForums/tabid/101/aft/10408/Default.aspx

Personally I don't like using the incline, I feel that a) I'm more injury prone and b) when would i ever run 60 minutes (for example) continuously up a steady incline outside.

tim cronk

There has been a lot of discussion on this and I have read hillrunner.com ....Zero or flat feels like downhill, 2% feels like too much....I think a happy medium is 1%..... As long as you get a vdot number to establish your training paces and then you can train those paces on the same TM in the same conditions is all that matters..... Last OS I used 1%, trained those paces, tested a few times to confirm those paces, and then did a 5K race outside and was 4 seconds per mile SLOWER (mighta been the heat in Key West lol) but anyway pretty close to what I had been doing inside on the TM!

david ware

I do almost all of my running on the TM. I typically use 1%. Sometimes for variety I think of running courses and change incline as I go, includihg up to some very high numnbers and down below zero. Just my.02 worth. For testing I would go with the 1%.

Carl

This will be my 3rd OS and every single one of my test have been on a treadmill with either .5-1% incline and when I run outside or in local 5k races I'm often faster!!!

I do not for a minute buy into the 2% incline story!!!
Bottom line run your 5K test at whatever you are comfortable with BUT your following tests should be completed at the same parameters.

Best of luck and enjoy your OS.

Satish Punna

 I just did the 5k TT on my treadmill at 1%.  On my treadmill 1% is way harder than running outside (I think 10-15s/km).  For a long time people said to set the treadmill at 1% to compensate for the fact there is no wind resistance running indoors.  That, in my opinion, has been disproven for the paces most of us run at.  Lately I have been reading that the 1% incline is recommended to encourage proper push off and running form.  I am more inclined to believe that (pun intended).  I too share concerns about continuously running up an incline particularly because I am nursing an achilles injury, but fwiw this outseason I have run up to 1hr at 1% with no ill effect so far. 

Brenda Ross

At 0% incline my TM at home seems harder to run my paces, however at the gym I can hold the same paces at a 1% incline. I usually test outside and do the majority of my running outside, with maybe one run on the mill each week, but my hubby has decided that he is going to do all his runs this winter on the mill and I am debating if that should be my route as well, so this is going to be a question I am asking myself soon.

Our sleeper cell is suppose to be testing this Sat outside, but I think it will depend on the weather. I will then have to take those numbers and try to figure out the paces on the mill. Lots to think about.

Gordon Cherwoniak

If you want consistency year over year use what you did last year, if you want it to be harder use 2%.  I realize it can be mentally deflating to start the OS with a lower number. but it's about improving the VDOT from wk 1 through wk 14.    I use 2% and live with my results as I'll do a test in spring outdoors at the start or right before IM training plan. 

The bigger concern from another thread is that some people expressed getting achillies issues at 2%.  I don't seem to have issues but you never know I did have some achillies pain last year but didn't attribute that to the mill.

Gordon

 

kimmydct

I will probably do .5%-1% when I test based on the feedback. And 2% does seem a bit much. My vdot is pitifullly low as it is..... Anything much lower might cause me to set my running sneaks on fire and give up.