The Dreaded Treadmill....

Most runners I know hate the treadmill.  It is called boring, tedious, and some even argue that it is worse for your joints than running in the street.  I, honestly, don't mind the treadmill.  I am usually so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice where I am.  And living in the Pacific Northwest means that you either spend winter and springs months getting soaked on your runs or learn to deal with the treadmill.  Personally, I prefer the treadmill to getting soaked. But, to avoid hitting a workout plateau, it is important to vary your treadmill workouts. I found some great treadmill workouts on self.com  and fitsugar.com that work for all levels and workout interests:

If you are new to running, this is a great workout for beginners.  It is a 60 minute workout that combines walking and jogging, which they call "wogging".  This is an awesome way to introduce your body to jogging and the whole workout burns about 300 calories.  Check it out here.

For people who are looking to do a little speed-work, check out this interval workout.  You can adjust the speed to meet your needs and ability level.  If you do the workout as prescribed, you can expect to burn 500 calories.  And remember, if you burn 500 calories per day for a week, that's one pound lost!

Even though they can be painful, runners really should integrate hills in to their workouts.  If you are relegated to the treadmill, here is a great workout to keep that hill-training going.  If you can manage to do this workout a couple of times per week, you're ready for any race through San Francisco!

If you are getting "running burnout", try this treadmill workout that incorporates different types of leg workouts. You'll be feeling the burn in your legs after the sets of squats and lunges on the treadmill.

Does anyone else have any treadmill workouts that they enjoy?  Feel free to post them in the comments section!