Run faster off the bike with 3 key treadmill workouts

Hit the ground running faster off the bike this season by focusing on speed when running indoors.

The treadmill can be a loathsome reality in winter. Cold weather and icy roads are  tricky conditions in which to strap on the speed session running shoes. Most outdoor running in harsher climates will be limited to steady paced sessions.

Picking up the speed can help pick up the excitement of running indoors. With the right workouts and mindset you can turn the treadmill into your new best friend.

Short speed to increase leg turnover

Short but snappy intervals have many benefits even for long distance triathletes. Getting the legs to turn over fast helps develop neuromuscular pathways that lead to higher cadence. A higher cadence means less ground contact and more speed. It is also credited with reducing running injuries caused by overstriding.

High cadence is a learned skill. The body must adapt to the faster leg turnover. This adaptation increases a runner’s speed range and over time makes their “easy” pace faster.

Training short bursts of speed will give you that kick to overtake athletes on the course and sprint to the finish line. If your sprints are matched with equal rest it can also improve your VO2max.

Workout

• Warm up with 10 minutes easy running or cycling
• 8-10 x 30s fast, with 30s rest (stand on the side of the treadmill for the rest period so you don’t have to fiddle with the settings)
• Cool down with 10 minutes of easy running

Focus on being relaxed and maintaining form as you run hard for 30s. Aim for high cadence and be sure not to overstride. By keeping your heart rate elevated throughout the intervals on short rest, you will also be working to improve VO2max.

Threshold intervals to increase durability

Developing the ability to hold a hard pace for long is essential to triathlon as generally the run is 5km or longer. This distance calls for an effort that feels hard but manageable for 30 minutes to an hour.

If you are a longer distance athlete, improving threshold will still help you run stronger. The ability to push how long you can maintain a strong effort will raise the ceiling on your easier paces. A more moderate pace during a longer race will feel easier if you have improved your threshold.

Workout

• Warm up with 10 minutes of easy running
• 4-6 x 5-10 minutes at a hard effort below or at threshold (not all out), with 2-4 minutes easy jog
• Cool down with 10 minutes of easy running

Build strength using incline

Strengthening your legs to power up hills and over rolling run courses will make the final leg of your race so much more fun. Getting stronger will also help you on the flats better manage the impact and overall load at any distance.

Mixing up a hill workout can break up the drudgery of repeatedly grinding up hills. Pivoting from short, hard hill reps to more moderate long climbs also develops your pacing skills. When you hit the race course the aim will be to conserve energy going uphill so you remain strong over the whole course. Performing both hard hill repeats to work on pure strength in combination with easier hill repeats to practice pacing gives you a double whammy workout.

Workout

• Warm up with 10 minutes of easy running
• 6-10 x hills repeats: alternating 1 min hard uphill on 2 min easy jog, and 3 min moderate uphill on 2 min easy jog
• Cool down with 10 minutes of easy running

To continue to get some outdoor miles it’s great to embrace doing your easier runs on the road or trail. At the same time it would be a mistake not to leverage the advantages that a treadmill provides. Mixing up the effort and learning some critical skills for racing can have you looking fondly back on the memories you made together to put an amazing season of racing to the test.