Is it possible to use a treadmill for a majority of your mileage and still achieve the desired effects on race day? While this debate can be polarizing among runners, in my experience, the treadmill can indeed be a useful tool in achieving success.

I remember when I trained for my last marathon I probably spent more time on the treadmill than ever before, did my long runs on the weekends (outdoors), and hit a PR in that particular marathon. Here’s my reasoning why I used the treadmill so much and some helpful tips I learned along the way.

### **Embrace the convenience**

I love the convenience of just heading to the gym whenever I wanted because I had daycare included. I didn’t have to worry about inclement weather, how much daylight was left or finding the right running route for a specific workout or race simulation.

### **Get creative**

I also always made sure that my average pace was at least 8-10% faster than my regular “outdoor” pace or that the incline was set at ~1% to make up for the lack of headwind, slight leg turnover assist, and controlled temperature and terrain. If I wanted to find a “hilly” route for that day, I could just set the treadmill on an incline. Instead of looking for a flat, clear tempo loop, I could set my pace and get straight into it.

### **Use those headphones**

While there are mixed perspectives of whether or not you should listen to music while running, being on a treadmill is the perfect time to not have to worry about music’s impact on safety or distraction. I listen to podcasts while doing an easy run, or pick out pump-up songs for a harder workout. Just be careful not to crank the volume too loud (or invest in noise-canceling technology) so as to not cause hearing damage over the treadmill thumping.

### Track in Stopwatch Mode

Are you familiar with the indoor workout feature in the [ASICS Runkeeper app](https://rk.onelink.me/506683561/1242b41a)? Stopwatch Mode lets you [track all those workouts that don’t require GPS](https://runkeeper.com/cms/app/runkeeper-app-tip-track-your-workouts-indoors/). We’ve got you covered from treadmill runs to weightlifting sessions to yoga flows.

It’s no secret that running on a treadmill is not the same as running outside. But the convenience and customizable nature of treadmill workouts can keep you committed to your training and specifically challenged in a way that can help your race-day performance. Given my experience and the success of others, it is definitely possible to train for races utilizing both the treadmill and the great outdoors.