Winter’s here and most of my running over the next few months will be on the “dreadmill”
Anybody come across any good treadmill training apps?
I’m looking for a “TrainerRoad for Treadmills” I guess.
(I know that FEC ANT+ has not made it to treadmills yet but that’s OK - manually adjusting speed/incline is no big deal)
Thanks.
If you’re doing workouts while running that you need something to tell you what to do on the treadmill, you’re doing running wrong.
If you’re doing workouts while running that you need something to tell you what to do on the treadmill, you’re doing running wrong.
everyone said the same thing about cycling and the trainer…
Why?
Why?
Probably same reason people use things like Trainerroad for cycling.
Why?
Because, quite frankly, I am not a qualified coach. Chad Timmerman and Jonathan Lee are. That is why I use TrainerRoad - I know I’m getting a quality structured workout that I don’t have to think about, I just have to execute. There’s a ton of value in that for a lot of athletes, as TrainerRoad (and to a much lesser extent, Zwift) clearly demonstrates. TrainerRoad has made a ton of us faster on the bike than “going out and riding” would have made us, especially for the same number of hours logged per week. Efficacy of training matters when your time becomes more valuable as you age/get promoted/have a family/whatever. I would rather know that I’m not screwing around when I hop on the trainer and take time away from everything else in my life, and the results I have achieved with TR show that.
Why would we want it for running? The same reasons. I want to get a workout in with a higher efficacy and less time than I can otherwise get on the road. Especially as you get more northerly, the amount of daylight is short and the cold keeps me indoors rather than out. If I can get faster, indoors, in less time and less risky situations, then it’s a no-brainer. Add in the fact it would be put together by qualified professionals instead of my google-fu and the “why” seems rather obvious.
Response to my own question: seems that Wahoo has some options. Looks like FEC ANT+ is available via this little gizmo:
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/01/announces-gymconnect-integration.html
An app can send to the treadmill a pre-defined workout with pre-defined paces, and the treadmill will follow those over the course of the workout.
The app can adjust the incline too.
Apparently you can retrofit the device to any treadmill with a CSAFE port (most commercial treadmills and many home ones too).
Will do more research and report back…!
If you’re doing workouts while running that you need something to tell you what to do on the treadmill, you’re doing running wrong.
Uh, no.
Running is mostly easy-effort miles with anywhere from 10-20% hard miles, and gradual incremental volume rampups if you’re doing it right.
You don’t need some elaborate detailed mile by mile training plan to run easy miles. In fact, you’re probably better off donig things that slow you down on the easy days provided you actually DO run fast and hard when it counts. I run barefoot as well as watch Netflix on all my easy treadmill days - it’s a nice mid-low Z2 effort. The barefoot is good training and also keeps me from going too hard.
No netflix or barefoot on the hard days though. It’s all focus, and I often do them in a gym treadmill for even more motivation since I seem to go harder when others are around.
keep us posted on this. I have a zoot commercial Precor from the 2007 era but can’t find a free port to use. Considering the electrical engineering aspects of using a splitter on the existing cable/port
Response to my own question: seems that Wahoo has some options. Looks like FEC ANT+ is available via this little gizmo:
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/...ect-integration.html
An app can send to the treadmill a pre-defined workout with pre-defined paces, and the treadmill will follow those over the course of the workout.
The app can adjust the incline too.
Apparently you can retrofit the device to any treadmill with a CSAFE port (most commercial treadmills and many home ones too).
Will do more research and report back…!
Why?
When I asked this, it was in reply to a specific post by marklemcd.
Don’t people check which post has been replied to?
Yeah please do, I asked DC about this via his site and didn’t hear back. I have found that some of the treadmills with the ports only have output and do not take command controls. I have found a few medical grade treadmills that take input through the serial port, but they are cost prohibitive. I also know there may be some safety concerns with the manufacturers and possibly Wahoo on command controls. Not sure about this one, but understand the reasoning, so knowing whether Wahoo is open source would also be helpful.
Why?
When I asked this, it was in reply to a specific post by marklemcd.
Don’t people check which post has been replied to?
I say this as someone who owns a treadmill, a trainer, and a trainerroad subscription.
Most days running should just be easy. Does anyone need TrainerRoad to ride 60 minutes in z2?
And on workout days if your running workouts are so intricate that you need something like trainerroad your workouts are far too complex. That complexity is good on a bike, it doesn’t work running.
And one should be outside doing workouts pretty much all the time if possible anyway. Most triathletes over complicate this stuff.
Treadmill runs have their place, very few good runners rely on them in quantities like we can with a cycling trainer. It just doesn’t work that way running. Look at the elite runners, nearly all of them do the vast majority of their runs outside (this is where someone points out one workout on instagram from a elite on a treadmill as proof that elites train indoors).
Well, first thing I found is that CSAFE compatibility may not be as widespread as I hoped:
http://www.fitnessav.com/v/cardiotheater/csaf_info.html#StarTrac
I’ve been looking at the more expensive home treadmills (like NordicTrack or LifeSpan) - no CSAFE there.
And then there’s Zwift running…
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/11/hands-upcoming-running.html
Just needs a footpod (although they are supposed to be supporting that fancy Wahoo CSAFE module too).
Just got a new Precor TRM 445, as in delivered yesterday. Very interested to hear your results. Thanks.
Does it have a CSAFE port? If so, then the Wahoo module is an option for you and you can have all kinds of fun.
If not, then Zwift Running might be your best bet.
I’m looking into it. I know it has USB for Software updates. Would be a shame if it didn’t. Thought all the later stuff did. And this is the top of the line in their Precision series.
So I see that this Wahoo thing allows you to “extract” workout info from a treadmill but not really seeing the value here? Can’t you simply do this with your Garmin “indoor” running option? The advantage of trainerroad is the ability to build your workout before hand so all you have to do is hit start and forget about it… What am I missing? Can you pre-load a workout into this device?
I believe the Wahoo module allows you to control the treadmill - speed, incline.
So this certainly would allow the ability to create tailored workouts - maybe Wahoo is doing that with their RunFit app - not sure.
DC Rainmaker says:
An app can send to the treadmill a pre-defined workout with pre-defined paces, and the treadmill will follow those over the course of the workout.