8:30 mile testing

[oldgringo]

I exclusively ran on one treadmill at my gym and honestly I struggle running at the 7.1 speed. Today
my treadmill was taken so I hopped on the other treadmill that was a little smaller and smoked that mile at a 7.1 speed. On the big treadmill I struggle on I felt like I was taking some longer strides but on the one I tried today I was able to take smaller steps which I was comfortable with. It still wasn't easy but a lot easier than the other treadmill.
My only question is which should I keep practicing on? The one I struggle on or the one I can finish?

 

[motsworld]

@oldgringo Treadmills are rarely calibrated. Take any treadmill distance with a big grain of sand.

Use whichever one you are comfortable on.

 

[antponetteoaks]

@oldgringo What are you training? Are you trying to train aerobic fitness, anaerobic, lactate threshold or just try and beat your mile time?

None of these matter which treadmill you're on, you just need a training effect.

 

[oldgringo]

@antponetteoaks All I’m training for is to run an 8:30 mile at 7.1 speed. I just have to do it one time and never again lol. I was just curious why it was easier to run on a different one than the one I usually struggle with and if I should keep using the easier one.

 

[antponetteoaks]

@oldgringo Do you have to do it on a treadmill or outside? Train like you compete right.

Best way to get faster at the 8:30 mile is to run longer than a mile for a bit (and slower), then do speed work as you get closer.

 

[oldgringo]

@antponetteoaks It’s a treadmill test. I can run the 8:27 on a different treadmill here at the gym. The one I usually use apparently no one likes cause it seems faster than it is.

 

[antponetteoaks]

@oldgringo Run it on the hard one then and smoke the test

 

[dowthut]

@oldgringo If you are trying to get an accurate mile time you'll want to just run it outside or on a measured track. Treadmills can be all over the place with calibration being off and so many people using them, you're going to get different results on each one you use.

 

[sharkbait13]

@oldgringo I think the general rule for running is to run at a faster pace (or more distance) than which you want to perform at... so if you ran do it at 7.5, the treadmill doesn't matter. This is also my pace nowadays