Incline Tempo Runs on Treadmills

 If you want to build muscular endurance and reduce the impact stress on the legs, then incline tempo runs on the treadmill might be your answer. This is a workout format I have recently begun experimenting with. As an expert and contributor on any question, I often love asking questions of other experts I have read and respect. A workout that piqued my interest was an uphill tempo workout that I saw posted by elite running coach Brad Hudson. This workout calls for a 4 to 5-mile uphill tempo effort. Unfortunately, this is not available to most people unless you live in the mountains and have a nice long uphill for 5 miles. But I did like the purpose of the workout and think it would be very valuable for triathletes to develop muscular endurance running off the bike without beating up the legs.

The treadmill became the best place to execute this workout for many reasons. First, it would allow us to lock in the speed and the grade and go for either distance or duration. By locking in a speed we can settle in and work on running economy and relaxing or ticking off the miles. A 3% grade is a good starting point; even going for 10 or 15 minutes provides a great workout. This can be a great workout done right off of the bike as an uphill transition tempo run of 10 to 20 minutes.

Workout variations

decreasing incline- 5 minutes at 5% grade/ 5 minutes at 4% grade/ 5 minutes at 3% grade. As you lower each grade by one percent, increase the speed by .1 – .2 mph.

Increasing incline- in this variation, you will keep the speed constant while increasing the grade 1% every 5 minutes. This tempo section can range from 15 to 30 minutes.

Broken tempo- in this variation, you will use a 4-minute run/1 minute walk or rest to break up the tempo efforts. This allows you to go a bit longer and hold a higher pace.

The goal of these workouts is not to beat yourself up but to provide a stimulus that will work the legs well while keeping your heart rate at or below your threshold pace/heart rate. It provides a good solid workout but minimal recovery center not pounding your legs. 

Happy Training!