Whats your longest distance on a treadmill?

Oisin11178

Alot of people are confined to treadmill running at the moment. I was wondering what is the longest you guys have done on a treadmill and how long did it take you.
Mine was a couple of months ago and it was 34km and it took me 3 hours.

rainbow kirby

5 miles, took me about 45 minutes. I don't have the patience to spend much longer than that on a treadmill.

Pisco Sour

5 miles in 40 minutes the other day. Felt like 25 miles!

NeedsTraining

10 miles, can't really remember the time as it was a few years ago - about 75 mins I think.
Never again, felt like I was pulling teeth by the end

RacoonQueen

10 miles today. Hopefully I'll push that to at least 13 tomorrow if I can get out to the gym.

Peckham

18 miles today in 2hrs 15mins.

RacoonQueen

Peckham wrote: »

18 miles today in 2hrs 15mins.

Did you do that at a consistent pace?

Usually they say you run faster on the treadmill than you do outdoors but I found running at 12k/hour quite tough at times and I'd sometime train faster than that. Although that could have been all in my head as I really despise the bloody treadmill.

rovers_runner

Haven't run on a threadmill for years, don't understand why people count miles covered on the spot in the 1000 Mile thread either...

colblimp

I can run about 1km on the dreadmill before I get bored - it just isn't for me! I'd rather have my spleen removed than run any distance on one of those things!

goofygirl

God I don't know how people can put up with treadmills. 3 miles is my absolute limit before I start gouging out my eyes.

Peckham

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Did you do that at a consistent pace?

Did it at a consistent pace of 13kmh, however I did the first 6 miles at 1.5% incline before increasing it to 2% for the remaining 12 miles.

Slogger Jogger

Think it was 16 miles, sometime last year, during a period of torrential rain. Found that very difficult. Can't believe people can do more than that. Respect to Peckham, village runner etc in that case.

donothoponpop

Bounced on a treadmill last year, for about 1hr 40ish, until the display told me I had done 15 miles at 6:45pace (0% incline). Easiest "run" of my life. I think they might have a place for doing intervals, but they're useless if you're trying to clock up miles. Never again!

zico10

Why does this negative attitude exist towards training on a treadmill? As far as I can see things, one works as hard as they want to, regarless of where they are. The feeling I get, from following this thread, is that training on a treadmilll isn't as worthwhile as training out on the open road. I've done and I do both, regardless of the weather, and I think both types of training stand me in good stead.
In answer to the original question, the greatest amount of time I know for sure I've spent on a treadmill is an hour. The most recent distance I've covered is 12.55km. Have spent two hours on a cross trainer, when I was carrying a running injury.
For sure I'd sooner be outside than indoors, but I still don't totally neglect treadmill work, during the summer.

bren74

rovers_runner wrote: »

Haven't run on a threadmill for years, don't understand why people count miles covered on the spot in the 1000 Mile thread either...

+1 agree, necessary substitute for some in these weather conditions but no way real mileage regardless of how hard you work.

TheRoadRunner

Due to weather conditions / potential injuries I ran 14 miles on a treadmill today. Sweet Jesus I nearly went mad.

RacoonQueen

zico10 wrote: »

Why does this negative attitude exist towards training on a treadmill? As far as I can see things, one works as hard as they want to, regarless of where they are. The feeling I get, from following this thread, is that training on a treadmilll isn't as worthwhile as training out on the open road. I've done and I do both, regardless of the weather, and I think both types of training stand me in good stead.
In answer to the original question, the greatest amount of time I know for sure I've spent on a treadmill is an hour. The most recent distance I've covered is 12.55km. Have spent two hours on a cross trainer, when I was carrying a running injury.
For sure I'd sooner be outside than indoors, but I still don't totally neglect treadmill work, during the summer.

No one has really posted a negative attitude towards treadmill work? People don't ENJOY running on treadmills and find them boring. I find it hard mentally to run on a treadmill for longer than 30 seconds. I wouldn't say they're not 'real' miles, your gait and stride length is largely the same on the treadmill as it is outdoors.

zico10

RacoonQueen wrote: »

No one has really posted a negative attitude towards treadmill work? People don't ENJOY running on treadmills and find them boring. I find it hard mentally to run on a treadmill for longer than 30 seconds. I wouldn't say they're not 'real' miles, your gait and stride length is largely the same on the treadmill as it is outdoors.

Well maybe I'm taking this up wrong, but there are posters here wondering why someone would count miles run on a treadmill as real miles. I'm agreeing with you, saying that they are real miles and that you have have to work as hard to get them covered as you would out on the road. You also have to bear in mind that while on a treadmill there's no backing off or easing up, otherwise you're just going to end up being flung off. I'd be open to correction, but it's proper training in my book at least.

mikeystipey

10k is my longest, won't even mention time as I'm not a regular runner, but having one of those threadmills with a TV in front of you really helps with the boredom factor!

bren74

zico10 wrote: »

Well maybe I'm taking this up wrong, but there are posters here wondering why someone would count miles run on a treadmill as real miles. I'm agreeing with you, saying that they are real miles and that you have have to work as hard to get them covered as you would out on the road. You also have to bear in mind that while on a treadmill there's no backing off or easing up, otherwise you're just going to end up being flung off. I'd be open to correction, but it's proper training in my book at least.

I suppose its each to its own and I do not want to be negative towards what works for other peoples training. Personally I never count treadmill miles in my weekly mileage, thankfully I never have to use them regularly unless work gets in the way or I am easing back from injury. However I don't think it replicates in any way the effort or give the benefits of outdoor running. I won't dispute the fact thats its training as your are obviously physically exercising but I don't agree with the assertion that you have to work as hard as you would out on the road.

Pisco Sour

bren74 wrote: »

I suppose its each to its own and I do not want to be negative towards what works for other peoples training. Personally I never count treadmill miles in my weekly mileage, thankfully I never have to use them regularly unless work gets in the way or I am easing back from injury. However I don't think it replicates in any way the effort or give the benefits of outdoor running. I won't dispute the fact thats its training as your are obviously physically exercising but I don't agree with the assertion that you have to work as hard as you would out on the road.

Have to disagree. When I run on a treadmill for 5 miles at 8 minutes per mile pace (on an incline of 1.0) I feel exhausted afterwards, and have sweated bucketloads in the process. When I run 5 miles in 40 minutes in the park I am barely out of breath by the end of it. It definetely feels like I work harder on a treadmill.

donothoponpop

zico10 wrote: »

Why does this negative attitude exist towards training on a treadmill? As far as I can see things, one works as hard as they want to, regarless of where they are. The feeling I get, from following this thread, is that training on a treadmilll isn't as worthwhile as training out on the open road. I've done and I do both, regardless of the weather, and I think both types of training stand me in good stead.
In answer to the original question, the greatest amount of time I know for sure I've spent on a treadmill is an hour. The most recent distance I've covered is 12.55km. Have spent two hours on a cross trainer, when I was carrying a running injury.
For sure I'd sooner be outside than indoors, but I still don't totally neglect treadmill work, during the summer.

In my own case I "did" 15 miles at 6.45 pace on a treadmill, and could have gone on and on at that pace, didn't find it hard at all. I find it a *lot* harder to reproduce this on the roads. You can bounce on the treadmill, slow down your cadence and take longer strides, and you've covered more ground as it rolls beneath you. There's a lot more effort involved in pushing your stride off the stationary ground. That's before you factor in things such as wind resistance and elevation.
I started an anti-treadmill thread last year, among the points that came from it were that putting in a 1-2% elevation seems to offer comparable running times to road running; that pb's are far easier on a treaddie; that they can be useful for doing set intervals.
Obviously, getting a workout on a treadmill beats sitting on your a$$, but its a poor substitute for the real thing.

helimachoptor

14K a few years ago, not sure how long it took, but felt like ages was extremely boring

did 75k on a gym bike about 9 months ago while watching the TV, walk in the park compared to the treadmill.

zico10

I'm not necessarily making a direct comparison between the two types of training. It's apples and oranges. I'm just saying you can work very hard on a treadmill if you want to. If you don't find it's hard enough then you can always increase the speed and unlike being on the road you've no choice, but to go with this speed. It keeps me focused at least and maybe I'm an exception, but I don't have any real problems with the boredom factor.

bren74

At the end of the day if your training for race are you going to do it on the TM or outdoors? I don't believe a treadmill has any place in a structured training plan unless circumstances mean you have no other option i.e weather etc.

jrar

Most done is 7 miles in one hour flat - have only used a treadmill 4 times in my life and yes, I find them incredibly boring !

That said, I'm going to a pay-as-you-go gym later and will probably do 6 / 7further miles as my usual run routes are iced up and I'd rather stretch my legs in a "false" sense and clock up some mileage rather than go out and suffer a fall on ice which would ensure no running for much longer...........I see treadmills as a necessary evil but give me the open road anyday !

village runner

22 miles on dec 23rd. Have often done a long one(18 or more) on it. A little boring but with a change of tops, bar or two a bananaa and a couple of energy drinks. If they had sky sports it wouold be better.
But i agree its easier. DEpends on the incline.

zico10

bren74 wrote: »

At the end of the day if your training for race are you going to do it on the TM or outdoors? I don't believe a treadmill has any place in a structured training plan unless circumstances mean you have no other option i.e weather etc.

This is probably just a general question aimed at anyone, but my answer is that I do both. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I find treadmill training beneficial. I wouldn't propose that someone does all their training on a treadmill, but for certain types of training, such as hill training and interval work, I find it useful. If you're just going into a gym and getting onto to a treadmill, to clock in the miles then of course you're going to get bored. It is not a substitute for the road and I don't use it as such. As with any type of training, I think if you've a goal in mind and a purpose to your training, then you shouldn't suffer too much from boredom.

village runner

zico10 wrote: »

This is probably just a general question aimed at anyone, but my answer is that I do both. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I find treadmill training beneficial. I wouldn't propose that someone does all their training on a treadmill, but for certain types of training, such as hill training and interval work, I find it useful. If you're just going into a gym and getting onto to a treadmill, to clock in the miles then of course you're going to get bored. It is not a substitute for the road and I don't use it as such. As with any type of training, I think if you've a goal in mind and a purpose to your training, then you shouldn't suffer too much from boredom.

+ 1
Great for speed work especially if you are on your own.

RacoonQueen

On the elevation thing I'd never run on the treadmill at anything less than 2% incline. Even for a warm up or cool down. Not that I actually ever run on the treadmill, yesterday was the only time in about two years where I did any sort of a run on a treadmill that wasn't some sort of interval session. I can do intervals or pyramids on treadmills all day long as they're far more challenging and interesting than running at 12.5k for 80 minutes @2% zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Once it's done at a decent incline or various inclines and not just on the 'flat' I'd count it in my weekly mileage.

I usually don't use the treadmill at the gym though.

Edit: they're also good when coming back from injury to test out whether you can run or not, better to jump on while you're already at the gym and test out injuries than go to the bother of getting your running gear on and go out at home only to realise you hurt like hell.

littlebug

rovers_runner wrote: »

Haven't run on a threadmill for years, don't understand why people count miles covered on the spot in the 1000 Mile thread either...

and my mileage count goes right back down to 10
To achieve any decent amount of time running without a treadmill I'd have to pay a babysitter 2x per week so I'm damned if I'm not counting those miles. Seriously that's more of the "real runner" stuff that "could" turn people off this forum.

Anyway 8 miles I think was the longest. I've got kind of used to it.... with the right music and if I can zone out from the numbers in front of me and get lost in thought it's ok.

rainbow kirby

littlebug wrote: »

I've got kind of used to it.... with the right music and if I can zone out from the numbers in front of me and get lost in thought it's ok.

I think if I had to do more treadmill running I'd have to put the treadmill in front of a TV as a distraction - longest treadmill run I've done was in a gym with mirrored walls and no TVs and it was very, very tough mentally. I think you really need *something* to distract you.

Bally8

littlebug wrote: »

and my mileage count goes right back down to 10
To achieve any decent amount of time running without a treadmill I'd have to pay a babysitter 2x per week so I'm damned if I'm not counting those miles. Seriously that's more of the "real runner" stuff that "could" turn people off this forum.

Anyway 8 miles I think was the longest. I've got kind of used to it.... with the right music and if I can zone out from the numbers in front of me and get lost in thought it's ok.

Totally agree. If I didnt have my treadmill I would rarely get out for a run as I have no one to mind my daughter. I take pride in how I have stuck with running this past year and completing the Dublin marathon, even if some of my training was on the treadmill. My skin is obviously too soft to post on this forum as I feel belittled by some of the comments on here.

village runner

Bally8 wrote: »

Totally agree. If I didnt have my treadmill I would rarely get out for a run as I have no one to mind my daughter. I take pride in how I have stuck with running this past year and completing the Dublin marathon, even if some of my training was on the treadmill. My skin is obviously too soft to post on this forum as I feel belittled by some of the comments on here.

Once you get out on the road(grass) once a week pref for your longer one all is good. I do alot of speed work on the threadmill and I aint a bad runner.
Alot of people dont live in the real world and you do what you can do and not worry about the knockers. There always around the corner. Keep up the running. Dont know which is worse the clare thing or living in Tipp............

Bally8

village runner wrote: »

Once you get out on the road(grass) once a week pref for your longer one all is good. I do alot of speed work on the threadmill and I aint a bad runner.
Alot of people dont live in the real world and you do what you can do and not worry about the knockers. There always around the corner. Keep up the running. Dont know which is worse the clare thing or living in Tipp............

Ha ha thanks village runner- the living in Tipp thing isnt working out too bad actually- lots of nice places to run around here:).

neilc

04072511 wrote: »

Have to disagree. When I run on a treadmill for 5 miles at 8 minutes per mile pace (on an incline of 1.0) I feel exhausted afterwards, and have sweated bucketloads in the process. When I run 5 miles in 40 minutes in the park I am barely out of breath by the end of it. It definetely feels like I work harder on a treadmill.

Slightly different numbers but thats exactly how it feels for me. I find it a very tough workout with the miles well earned. There's no way I wouldn't count those miles.
Neil

sarsfieldsrock

Did 18 miles a few years ago but haven't used the treadmill much until the last week.
All my runs this week were on the treadmill. First time that has ever happened.
I did 13 mile run yesterday and an 11 mile run this morning. Both at 1 incline.

With music or radio plugged in I am able to zone out but would much prefer the outdoor run. It is quite handy after work for me as the gym is just opposite the train station and its usually dark when I get home so running on the narrow country roads is not recommended so I might have to keep using the treadmill for the evening runs.

plodder

Best way to compare road running with a treadmill is to use a heart rate monitor. If you're working equally hard then the heart rate will be the same, regardless of what the speed appears to be.

In my opinion, cranking up the gradient (beyond 1 or 2%) isn't helpful. It just isn't the same as real hill running, and you'd only be creating an injury risk.

Sub430

plodder wrote: »

Best way to compare road running with a treadmill is to use a heart rate monitor. If you're working equally hard then the heart rate will be the same, regardless of what the speed appears to be.

+1 on this, I've done more treadmill running in the past 2 weeks that ever before and have kept on eye on the HRM and am roughly working at a similar effort. Obviously running inside and the extra heat involved will add a few extra beats. Similarly to running outside if I see the HR going too high then off come the MPH, if it starts to drop the the MPH is increased.

Is it physically easier, I would say yes, is it mentally easier - no effing way. It is rare that you dread the thought of going for a run outside but on the other hand has anyone ever looked forward to doing a long run on a treadmill?

Maybe you lose a bit physically compared to road running but maybe you gain something mentally.

At the end of the day it's better than doin nowt.

Aimman

Thankfully, I'm getting about in the snow OK at the moment, so I dont have to go on the dreaded hamster wheel so far.

One time a couple of years ago, the rain was so bad, I had to pay for a gym session and did a 11M run on a machine. There were no TVs to distract you, only full lenght mirrors in from of the machines. Now why does anyone want to look at themselves running? And to make it worse, the machines had a 1 hour limit on it, so while i was minding my own reflection (... eh, business:P) the machine decided to slow down to a stop, while I frantically tried to get it going again, and that fecked up my rhythm for little while.

cloneslad

12 mile was my furthest on a treadmill about 2 years ago in korea in front of an open window, I had nipple chaff from a combination of the cold air and loose t-shirt I was wearing on the day.


Did 5 mile the other day on a treadmill and thought I was going to die with boredom, kept looking around me to see what others were doing. I love going out running to new places with my garmin because you look around you and enjoy the scenery and forget you are running. It's hard to do that on a treadmill.

john do

I go on the tread mill twice a week for about 35 minutes each session where I go 18 kph for 3 mins and 20 kph for 2 mins, don't mind it all thet much but I don't think I could do any long runs on it.

Krusty_Clown

I think Tony Mangan wins, with a jaw-dropping 405.22km (251 miles), as the current world record holder for distance covered over a 48 hour period. I don't think it's been bettered since, though there are records for various other competitions:
http://www.recordholders.org/en/list/treadmill.html

including:
Distance covered over 7 days: 660 miles
Time to cover 1,000 kms: 6 Days, 7:37 hours
Distance covered in 30 days: 1526.449 km

They'd have the 1,000 mile challenge sewn-up in around 9 days!

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I think Tony Mangan wins, with a jaw-dropping 405.22km (251 miles), as the current world record holder for distance covered over a 48 hour period.

By the time he was finished there was a pretty substantial pile of rubber from his shoes and the treadmill belt behind him on the ground !

tunguska

zico10 wrote: »

This is probably just a general question aimed at anyone, but my answer is that I do both. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I find treadmill training beneficial. I wouldn't propose that someone does all their training on a treadmill, but for certain types of training, such as hill training and interval work, I find it useful. If you're just going into a gym and getting onto to a treadmill, to clock in the miles then of course you're going to get bored. It is not a substitute for the road and I don't use it as such. As with any type of training, I think if you've a goal in mind and a purpose to your training, then you shouldn't suffer too much from boredom.

I'd have to agree with you Zico on that one. Ive done some great sessions on the 'mill, sessions that would be the equal or even superior to outdoors running. Treadmill training is as good as you make it.

asimonov

Its like the Wii Fit, i've probably done my best ever ski jumping at olympic level on that, but i don't get that much credit for it from friends and family. so frustrating :mad:

Enduro

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I think Tony Mangan wins, with a jaw-dropping 405.22km (251 miles), as the current world record holder for distance covered over a 48 hour period. I don't think it's been bettered since, though there are records for various other competitions:
http://www.recordholders.org/en/list/treadmill.html

including:
Distance covered over 7 days: 660 miles
Time to cover 1,000 kms: 6 Days, 7:37 hours
Distance covered in 30 days: 1526.449 km

They'd have the 1,000 mile challenge sewn-up in around 9 days!

I was going to post that one myself. It's an incredible achievement. The man is a legend. I couldn't do 48 minutes on a threadmill. Deane Karnazes failed spectacularly to get anywhere near Tony's distance.

Agent J

I think its about 5 miles. I listen to audio books to pass the time.

One thing i do not like and cannot wait for the weather to improve for.
A treadmill is just a button push to stop and get off. A reasoned arguement can be made about willpower and such.

If you run 5km away from your house. There is only one way you are getting back....

trotter_inc

I think the threadmill is sometimes a welcome change from running on the road. I find it great for speed work, plus it gives the legs a relaxing break from the hard road surfaces.

Generally, I'd do 6 miles on one, rough time would be 46 mins, though I'm always trying to reduce this.

Blazer

Most I've done is 21 miles on a treadmill...
was breaking in new runners about 2 months before NY 2008...
but they felt so good I just kept running.
I enjoy running on the treadmill..I have my ipod set up with a list of songs I'm in the mood for and I'm sorted..
Nowadays I tend to do most of my running on the treadmill...during the week I play soccer twice and it's fairly tough on the legs so the run on the treadmill does me grand..

misty floyd

Agent J wrote: »

A treadmill is just a button push to stop and get off. A reasoned arguement can be made about willpower and such.

If you run 5km away from your house. There is only one way you are getting back....

You've hit the nail on the head there Agent. When you run from a point (your house), the thought of giving up never enters your head because you can't give up. You get into a zone and get on with it when out running.

The word 'treacherous' has been used so much this last week or so. I'm sick of hearing that word. The paths are very slippy today. There is no way I could run on them.