Thunderstorms are forecast all week long for Houston, and my long run is scheduled for tomorrow. I am facing 2.5 hours on the treadmill unless this weather clears up enough for me to run outside. I have stocked up on movies, but I need some suggestions for ways to keep it interesting - interval sets, etc. Would anyone be kind enough to share some of their tried and true treadmill workouts?
TIA,
Kristen
30 min warm up. 6x.6mile @2% w/ .15mile flat recovery + 15min easy + 3x10min tempo / 5 min easy + damn I can’t even think of the rest, just steady state. 2.5hr? are you freaking nuts?
Can you go on vacation or move?
There…is…no…way…you…can…get…me…to…run…on…a…treadmill…for…2.5…hours. You are very brave.
I don’t think there is any possible workout variation that will help you keep your sanity.
Can you put your treadmill outside under cover just so that you are at least outdoors?
yep 2.5hr is insanity, i dont care what movie youre watching. Why not put on some old shoes and go run in the rain?
There is no way that running in the rain could be as bad as 2.5 hours on a treadmill…get wet and stay away from tall tree’s
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go run in the thunderstorm! Storm runs are the best.
I’m envious 
what part of Houston, I’m in Katy going over the same plan of attach for my long ride
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Get up REALLY early and run in the am. It usually doesn’t T-storm in the am, at least not 'round here.
You couldn’t get me to run on a dreadmill even at gunpoint, much less for 2.5hrs.
I’d rather take my chances with the lightning.
Do not watch movies. They take your focus away from your activity which is running and interacting with your treadmill. You will only be thinking how nice it would be to sit down and relax while watching the movie. Your legs will get extremely heavy. (However music is encouraged.)
Rather, focus on the run. Look forward to it. Interact with your treadmill. Press its buttons often, varying speed and grade, which works different muscles and may actually give you a better workout than running outdoors.
Mentally break the workout into 30 5 minute segments. During each segment change the speed and/or grade 3 times. Count each 0.5% grade change as 0.1 mph. For the first 10 segments, climb a ladder and come back down. For example you might pick a grade and speed sum of 7.5,7.6,7.7,7.8,7.9,7.9,7.8 etc back down to 7.5. So within the first 5 minutes, you pick 3 unique grade/speed combinations to add to 7.5, and so on. Don’t plan every detail beforehand, rather make it up as you go. Play a game and see if you can come up with 90 unique grade/speed combinations for the entire workout.
The key to effective and sanity preserving treadmill workouts is constant variety and mental stimulation directed towards your workout. It can actually be as fun as say… night putting. Be the treadmill, Danny.
After having to cut my 90 mile ride short yesterday d/t T-storms (Sorry, guys, I don’t mind rain at all, but lightning cracking over my head scares me), I am just trying to plan for contingencies. The plan is to be outside by 6 am, but if it is storming, no way. I’m in downtown Houston, btw. Methinks I’ll just have to HTFU one way or the other.
if you do a movie do a good action one like Casino Royale or Deja Vu…don’t do anything too dark or complicated…i.e. Crash. Max time on treadmill/elliptical for me is around 2:15. it is good for mental toughness. running in a thunderstorm is stupid…lady got killed doing that here in Kansas, can’t think of any workout that would be worth risking your life for.
Toughen up… they’re good for the soul…don’t know what you’re all wingeing about.
Something like 24’s your best bet, breaks it down in to chunks.
that’s a long one. I’ve done a bunch of 2 hr treadmill runs over the years when I was training for marathons and lived back east. I used to hate running in the snow. The trick is to break it up in small doses. I like the suggestion of 30 x 5 minutes, though that’s a bit short…I would personally do something like 10 x 15 minutes. 30 of anything is a lot. The first 5 increase the incline .5% every 90 seconds, second 5 increase the speed by .2 mph every 90 seconds. something like that
I would also take an extra shirt, shorts, socks and a couple towels. Change your clothes at the halfway point. Take your iPod, create a long playlist and enjoy. Trust me, the mental workout is good prep for the late miles of an IM marathon.
There are lots of things harder than a couple hours on a treadmill.
Storms are off to the East this morning, so out the front door I go. Thanks for everyone’s suggestions - I will reserve them for a (truly) rainy day.
Have a good run 
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Do half on the mill and then the rest outside?
I managed 1.5hrs sessions on the mill by varying the speed every 5 mins: eg 6 x ( 3 x (5min 8mph, 5 min 8.5 mph, 5 min 9mph)) - for whatever your speed is, so have 1 segment a bit slower and the other a bit faster. It gets tough towards the end, the faster bit feels hard as your legs are fatigued, and the slower part allows you to recover, mentally & otherwise.
I much prefer the outside though!
I only do treadmill running (including the 22 miler long runs). I’ve heard it’s absurd but it works for me. Been doing it for 3 years now. Here in Dallas we’re saturated and looks like Houston is the same so you may have more chances for treadmill running-very soon.
FYI-I always run faster in a race than my treadmill speed.
Good luck-wish I had a long run coming up soon on the treadmill.
Man, nothing but respect for you on that! I couldn’t do it. 6mi is killer on a treadmill