Treadmills

We just got the Nordictrack x9i and love it. 40% incline and -6 decline. They often list it at 2999, but every 4 weeks or so it goes on sale for 1899 or 1799 or so.

I ended up getting rid of my old / ugly couch, swapping it for a reclining loveseat, and used the extra space to fit a treadmill in my condo.  I got a True Z5.0; it came 3/1 and I am loving it.  This is hands down the best large purchase I've ever made--no regrets.  I've been able to run more miles this month already than I have all of Jan-Feb now.  And catch up on TV simultaneously    It took 10 years to let myself do it, but this is probably going to be key for me running consistently.


Is it typical for them to be slightly off? For the past few runs, I've set it at 6.0 miles per hour, and it takes it probably 5-10 seconds to get to that speed, but I'm hitting 3.01 miles in 29:45. If anything it should be at 3.01 in 30:05 or so.  It's just a few seconds per mile (at least at that pace)--worry about it, or are everyone's like that?

Penelope wrote:I ended up getting rid of my old / ugly couch, swapping it for a reclining loveseat, and used the extra space to fit a treadmill in my condo.  I got a True Z5.0; it came 3/1 and I am loving it.  This is hands down the best large purchase I've ever made--no regrets.  I've been able to run more miles this month already than I have all of Jan-Feb now.  And catch up on TV simultaneously    It took 10 years to let myself do it, but this is probably going to be key for me running consistently.


Is it typical for them to be slightly off? For the past few runs, I've set it at 6.0 miles per hour, and it takes it probably 5-10 seconds to get to that speed, but I'm hitting 3.01 miles in 29:45. If anything it should be at 3.01 in 30:05 or so.  It's just a few seconds per mile (at least at that pace)--worry about it, or are everyone's like that?

You'll have to do a calibration to really know.  Some of them the clock is the problem.  I know that my cheap one has a clock issue as i would run on it while wearing my Garmin just so I had records to download and the clocks never quite matched.  If you Google how to calibrate a treadmill, you'll find out that it's not all that difficult and you'll have a definite answer.

Most of them are off some, and some of them cannot be calibrated (like mine which sucks), but like Jim, I usually wear my Garmin and use that to make sure.  Honestly, I really wouldn't worry too much as there is an initial lag as you change speeds and that seems really close.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Most of them are off some, and some of them cannot be calibrated (like mine which sucks), but like Jim, I usually wear my Garmin and use that to make sure. 

Alright, I thought I've heard everything! A Garmin, on the treadmill? To track distance??? Don't they use satellites to track you as you move around the earth? Or are you using a foot pod thingy that tracks distance by your stride?

I'm sure I'm waaayyy off base here and am totally missing something but...I've never heard of this before and really don't understand how that could possibly work :>)

A foot pod.
Though it's not really tracking strides.
It's using acceleration, which is much more accurate.
Can be very accurate, but the pace calibration window is realatively small, at least with my mechanics.

Dave Bussard wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Most of them are off some, and some of them cannot be calibrated (like mine which sucks), but like Jim, I usually wear my Garmin and use that to make sure. 

Alright, I thought I've heard everything! A Garmin, on the treadmill? To track distance??? Don't they use satellites to track you as you move around the earth? Or are you using a foot pod thingy that tracks distance by your stride?

I'm sure I'm waaayyy off base here and am totally missing something but...I've never heard of this before and really don't understand how that could possibly work :>)

I've never used it for tracking distance, just for tracking splits when I'm doing tempos or intervals. I use it on my treadmill at home because I know the calibration is slightly off and want to have the time right.

Hmmm….I don't have a foot pod / would have to get one.

I did an auto calibration on mine x 2, and it passes itself on that / claims 'I'm calibrated' but it's not.  I'm reaching 3.01 miles about 30 seconds ahead every time.  I know I'm not an elite runner and a few seconds doesn't make a huge difference, but it's annoying.  This thing was expensive and I think it should be accurate.

I even turned it on without running on it, at 6.0 miles / hour.  I thought maybe me being on it was affecting it, but no…it's not me, it's it.  Oy!

I use my Garmin all the time on the TM with a footpod and if I forget the footpod my 620 has an accelerometer in it. I don't own my own TM so I'm never really sure which is more accurate, me or the TM.  I have never calibrated my footpod either, but I know its reasonably close.  My experience thus far is that with the pod is more accurate than just the watch.  I also notice a big difference depending on pace.  Somewhere around 8 min a mile I find good accuracy, slower doesn't track enough mileage and faster than that pace tracks more mileage than actual. 

Which leads to another interesting phenomena related to the 620, when I wear my HRM and run fast, the watch records higher mileage than actually run for the same amount of time, therefore I get an outstanding VO2MAX calculation, even after manually correcting the data on Garmin Connect.  I should be able to run a 2:30 marathon.  Still waiting for it.  

Here's how I verified my calibration was correct...Kind of unintentional. Last year I was running a set of 400's. I always ramp up the speed so that I hit the start at my rep pace. I also keep track of the rep splits with my Timex Chronograph. On the last one I maxed out the speed of the treadmill to 12.0/mph. Did the 400 at 5:00/pace. My watch read exactly 75.0! Dead on.

Dave Bussard wrote:Here's how I verified my calibration was correct...Kind of unintentional. Last year I was running a set of 400's. I always ramp up the speed so that I hit the start at my rep pace. I also keep track of the rep splits with my Timex Chronograph. On the last one I maxed out the speed of the treadmill to 12.0/mph. Did the 400 at 5:00/pace. My watch read exactly 75.0! Dead on.

won't have the problem of maxing out at 12mph.

mountandog wrote:

Dave Bussard wrote:Here's how I verified my calibration was correct...Kind of unintentional. Last year I was running a set of 400's. I always ramp up the speed so that I hit the start at my rep pace. I also keep track of the rep splits with my Timex Chronograph. On the last one I maxed out the speed of the treadmill to 12.0/mph. Did the 400 at 5:00/pace. My watch read exactly 75.0! Dead on.

won't have the problem of maxing out at 12mph.

My treadmill can do that too! But I can't!

Penelope wrote:

mountandog wrote:

Dave Bussard wrote:Here's how I verified my calibration was correct...Kind of unintentional. Last year I was running a set of 400's. I always ramp up the speed so that I hit the start at my rep pace. I also keep track of the rep splits with my Timex Chronograph. On the last one I maxed out the speed of the treadmill to 12.0/mph. Did the 400 at 5:00/pace. My watch read exactly 75.0! Dead on.

won't have the problem of maxing out at 12mph.

My treadmill can do that too! But I can't!

 

Several months later, I am much less satisfied with my treadmill, I have to report.  I got shinsplints when I started running on it in March,  In the spring, I took about a week off and then switched to outdoor running and they went away, and all summer I ran without any issues.  This fall, I re-introduced it while still running outside some too, and the shinsplints came right back.  

This never happened to me when I ran on my gym treadmills, and I suspect it's related to the running surface.  Underneath the belt, mine is steel, and I am wondering if that has any explanation (as opposed to aluminum / softer surface).

In retrospect, I wish I would have tried this treadmill more than just once in the store, before I bought it.  If I would have tried it a few more times, I would have realized that it was causing me shin splints and not gotten it.

Gah! How frustrating.

Can you talk to the folks at the store, or the manufacturer about your problems? They may not be able or willing to help, but it's worth a shot.

Mark B wrote:Gah! How frustrating.

Can you talk to the folks at the store, or the manufacturer about your problems? They may not be able or willing to help, but it's worth a shot.

It is frustrating….I'm trying to make the most of it.  It's fine for walking on and I'm hoping I can 'break in' my shins so to speak.

I called the store to see if there was anything else I can do.  I already have the thickest / orthopedic belt for it.  They said 1) yep, it's steel, get a very good pair of shoes / not minimalist ones and 2) the next model up has an adjustable surface softness/hardness.

JohnP wrote:Treadmills are your friend. They let you run when it's storming, icy, snowy, etc., outside. They let you run safely when it's dark outside. They let you run when your kids are there. They let you watch TV and especially DVDs (a lot of TV series can be watched). Treadmills let you do speedwork without worry about the heat or wind outside .

Of course, you want to run outside whenever possible but I believe that TMs are my friend and help me with running.

Completely agree with you.