Treadmill Pace Chart: Treadmill Training Guide

Knowing treadmill speeds can be tricky if you’re new to treadmill running.

Knowing what speed to set, when to vary your speed, and how to keep yourself safe on the treadmill are all important things to consider when jumping on, especially if you are a novice treadmill runner!

Tips for Treadmill Running

If you’re new to treadmill running, there are some basics to getting started.

1. Get to know the treadmill. If it’s your own, that’s pretty easy. Read the owner’s manual. You probably asked some questions before purchasing.

2. Familiarize yourself with the buttons, bells, and whistles. If you have newly joined a gym, ask someone to assist you. The last thing you should be doing is navigating button controls while running at full speed.

3. You should not try to move too quickly on a treadmill without getting your body ready. Just like when running outside, it is sound practice to warm up. 

4. You should also understand how miles per hour on the treadmill equals how many minutes per mile you average on the street. If you are running, you will probably find a comfortable setting for your “average run.”

5. You may have to do some track math before jumping on. Another option is to print a treadmill speed table for quick reference.

6. If you are hoping to replicate running outside, you should put your treadmill on an incline. Since the belt moves to assist you in moving along, you need at least some incline. Also, indoor running lacks hills, wind, and the elements. For this reason, you need incline to compensate.

7. You should never hold the sides when running on the treadmill. Instead, have your arms moving by your sides as they naturally do when running. If you have to hang on to the sides to feel safe, you are running too fast!

8. Pay attention to your stride. Some people find themselves running differently on a treadmill than they do outside. Try to replicate your normal running style.

Make sure you aren’t limiting or crunching up your stride. Many people find themselves bumping up against the bars in front of the treadmill. Using the whole belt is a good way to maintain proper form while running inside.

9. Don’t get off or on the treadmill when running. If I need to jump off quickly, my practice is to put my feet on the stationary side rails. This enables me to stop the track from moving before getting off.

Treadmill Speeds

Treadmill speeds calculators will help you determine where to set your treadmill. If you are consistently running outside, you should have a ballpark number in your head on where to start.

However, when choosing a pace, you should certainly consider the goal of the workout.

Are you just trying to get time in?

If you’re trying to sneak in 30 minutes of cardio, think about what that would look like if you were running outside.

If you race a 5K in 26 minutes, and an easy run around your neighborhood takes about 28 minutes for the same distance, try setting your treadmill to bring you to hit 9-minute miles. If you look at the pace calculator, that is roughly 6.6 with a 1%  incline.

If you find yourself struggling to acclimate to the treadmill, slow it down a little (.1 or .2 on the treadmill may not translate to much difference in speed, but it may help you with perceived effort).

Treadmill Paces with Incline Calculated

Vary Your Treadmill Workout

One downfall of the treadmill is that it can be mind-numbing.

While many people agree that a treadmill is an excellent tool for completing a workout in extreme temperatures, extreme weather, or when personal lives might otherwise get in the way, others find the toughest part is simply staying on the treadmill.

If you choose to run a 3-mile loop once you are halfway there, you have to keep running to get home. Not so when running on a treadmill.

If you’re on a treadmill, you can step off at any time.

One way to keep yourself engaged is to vary your workouts. First of all, running at a constant pace day after day leads to few gains.

On the other hand, switching up your workouts is likely to help you reap multiple benefits as an athlete.

HIIT Treadmill Workouts

Nike Running Club App

One of our favorite ways to run intervals is with the help of the Nike Running Club App. This particular workout (pictured below) is one intended to be done on a treadmill, based on your perceived effort.

As you can see, it does not give paces. It simply guides you through easy or hard intervals throughout the 29 minutes.

The next workout, Treadmills, is set based on pace. You will see that it asks you to run 10K pace, 5K pace, and mile pace, all at different inclines (25 minutes total)

You will have to break out your pace chart to determine your speed setting as you hammer through the sets of this workout.

You’re Ready To Roll!

The long and short of it is that there aren’t simple “one size fits all” answers saying what treadmill speeds your treadmill should be set to. Many factors come into play, ranging from your experience and comfort on a treadmill to your workout goal.

One thing is certain if you are turning to a treadmill as a tool to build for maintaining fitness, there are plenty of resources out there. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as you transition into this new part of your fitness journey.

Whether you are just starting with C25K (couch to 5K), training for a 5K, or working your way through miles in preparation for a marathon, you may find having a treadmill at your disposal gives you an edge.