Hi all, I am an aging, long time runner in my 40's and interested in a treadmill to supplement my outdoor running. About me: 5'5, 120 lbs, marathoner, do half IM, IM races, looking to do ~20-25 miles/week on the treadmill. My main criteria are (in order of importance):
-reduce impact on my joints
-easy to do intervals (hills or speed)
-reasonably priced
-durable/hassle free for at least 5 years aside from normal wear & tear
-ability to do decline grade, but not a must have (training for Boston Marathon)
I've done some research and what I'm gathering is that there's 3 tiers (Tier 1: Woodway ($5000+), Tier 2: Landice L7, Matrix, Bodyguard T75 ($3000-$4000), and Tier 3: Nordictrack 1750/2450). I've tried out the Landice and Matrix and like them but doesn't have the decline grade like the Bodyguard T75. I wrote off tier 1 for price, now down to the other tiers. When I talked to the local treadmill store, they position the Nordictrack as having inconsistent/low quality machines for the masses. I've read a lot of reviews and it's not clear what's fact vs fiction. The most compelling parts of Nordictrack are pricing and decline grade. For the price of a Tier 2 machine, I can get 2 Nordictracks if the first breaks down so the difference is significant enough for me to think about it.
Does anyone have experience with any of these treadmills or faced a similar situation before to shed some light on how to approach this? I need help! Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions.
Sam
-reduce impact on my joints
-easy to do intervals (hills or speed)
-reasonably priced
-durable/hassle free for at least 5 years aside from normal wear & tear
-ability to do decline grade, but not a must have (training for Boston Marathon)
I've done some research and what I'm gathering is that there's 3 tiers (Tier 1: Woodway ($5000+), Tier 2: Landice L7, Matrix, Bodyguard T75 ($3000-$4000), and Tier 3: Nordictrack 1750/2450). I've tried out the Landice and Matrix and like them but doesn't have the decline grade like the Bodyguard T75. I wrote off tier 1 for price, now down to the other tiers. When I talked to the local treadmill store, they position the Nordictrack as having inconsistent/low quality machines for the masses. I've read a lot of reviews and it's not clear what's fact vs fiction. The most compelling parts of Nordictrack are pricing and decline grade. For the price of a Tier 2 machine, I can get 2 Nordictracks if the first breaks down so the difference is significant enough for me to think about it.
Does anyone have experience with any of these treadmills or faced a similar situation before to shed some light on how to approach this? I need help! Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions.
Sam