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Don
Don Sendmail

Learning how to run again...

posted 4 months ago | Report

Hey folks, Long time runner, first time poster...

I've been running for years and over the course of the last 3-4 years, most of my miles have been on our treadmill. I've never struggled with treadmill running, in fact, it's a lot easier on my knees and hips (I've also played hockey since I was a kid and I'm pretty sure Bobby Orr has better knees than I). Having improved my 5K time a great deal and accomplished my first ever 10k on it, I think it is safe to say I'm comfortable with treadmill running, especially in the winter months.

About 3 weeks ago, the running deck on our treadmill finally met its maker. It was out of warranty and instead of replacing the deck, belt and god knows what else was going on it, we figured to hell with it and got a brand new treadmill. The downtime between shipping out the old one and purchasing the new treadmill was only a day, but I'll tell ya, that first run on the new one told a different tale..

Normally on a 5k run, I can do it comfortably in about 23 min. Nothing out of the ordinary in terms of labored breathing but since getting the new one, I can barely make it to 3k on my usual 8mph speed then I have to stop, catch my wind, and then struggle to the finish line. I thought maybe it was just a once off but the last while it is getting worse, almost like my breathing is completely off and a feeling of anxiety hits. It’s like I'm not enjoying the run at all and feels like I need to learn how to control my breathing/learn how to run again. Any ideas? I think I finally ran into the wall. =/

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  • Ryan
    Ryan Sendmail

    I know little about treadmills because I can't stand them - but my understanding is that they get out of whack and calibration over time. So my first thought is that perhaps your old one was way out of calibration, and its indicated speed was vastly different than the new one.
    So I'd say set the speed a bit slower - if you're not necessarily trying for a PR or performance, you get all the health benefits by slow running as well.

    posted 4 months ago

  • Jan
    Jan Sendmail

    +1 to variance in treadmills. Either of your two (or both) can be calibrated incorrectly and obviously they're different from each other.

    Treadmills often over estimate mileage and underestimate speed so we feel faster and think we've gone farther than reality.

    If you have a sports watch like a Garmin with a foot pod, you could use your calibrated watch to figure out whether the new treadmill is correct. Perhaps it can be recalibrated if its off. Good luck!

    posted 4 months ago | edited 4 months ago

  • Don
    Don Sendmail

    Hey folks, thanks for the tips!

    I had noticed a bit of a difference between the gym T/M's and ours, not a great deal but there was a variance. Maybe the console on our old one was starting to go as well. I found after a 5K, I still had some decent energy left on the old one, so I’d just keep going until I felt like I had enough.

    Today, I cut my pace and tackled a 10k just to see how it would go. Even outdoors on the local track, I was able to clock in about 47 min. Tonight on the new treadmill, I hit 10 in 50:35. I guess I'll just need to go with slower speeds until I can get my pace/breathing under control and gradually ramp up the work.
    Hoping to take part in my first competitive 10k run this spring, hopefully this will help with the training!

    Thanks again! :)

    posted 4 months ago

  • Kevan T.
    Kevan T. Sendmail

    First of all I would go to the doctor and get your lungs checked out. It is not unusual to develop breathing problems later in life. I understand what you are going through about learning to run again..I am making a 15 year comeback.. I am doing great but it is certainly not as easy as it used to be!! Treadmill running is great when other options are not available but only in moderation. The feel of the road or trail is much more different then from a TM and your body will forget...the TM does too much work for you!!
    .

    posted 4 months ago

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