The winter months are by far the hardest to get through. The amount of daylight is limited, the temperature drops and precipitation comes in the form of snow. The commute to work gets longer and everything in nature loses its bright green tint. Gone are the days of running outside — and for Chicagoans, running along the lake — after work. Some brave runners face the harsh winter wind every day, but others aren’t as dedicated to outdoor activity and instead choose to hit the gym.

If you’re like me, treadmills aren’t exactly your cup of tea. They’re constraining and don’t provide the stunning scenery that outdoor runs do. Simply put, running on a treadmill just isn’t the same as running outdoors — not to mention it’s boring to run in place for extended periods of time.

But on those sub-zero days when it gets dark by 4:30 pm, sometimes the treadmill is your most viable option. Treadmills have to become a runner’s best friend in the wintertime.

Taken from Runner’s World, Fitness Magazine and Competitor.com, here are five ways to make the best of winter running and befriend the treadmill.

1. Repetition workout. After this workout, you’ll be ready to run plenty of reps outside once spring rolls around. Start out by running easily for 10 minutes. Next, run for three minutes at a speed that’s 20 seconds faster than your 5K pace — or your general race pace. Recover by slowly jogging for three minutes. Repeat this pattern three times.

Once you complete the set of three runs and three recoveries, jog for another five minutes. Then repeat another set of three runs and three recoveries. As a cool down, run easily for five minutes.

10 minutes	Warm-up
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
5 minutes	Jog
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
3 minutes	20 seconds faster than 5K pace/race pace
3 minutes	Jog
5 minutes	Cool down

2. Hills workout. If you want the treadmill to benefit your ability to run inclines, this workout is for you. For a warm-up, jog between one and three miles. Then start the tough part of the routine. Change the incline of the treadmill to a 6 to 8 percent grade and run for half a mile. After that, decrease your incline to 0 or 1 and run for three minutes. Repeat the pattern a total of six to eight times. Cool down by running between one and three miles.

1-3 miles	Warm-up
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Jog at no incline
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Jog at no incline
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Job at no incline
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Jog at no incline
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Jog at no incline
½ mile	Run with a 6-8 grade incline
3-4 minutes	Jog at no incline
1-3 miles	Cool down

3. A 20-minute glute workout. This treadmill routine specifically targets your glutes. Fitness Magazine recommends a solid 4.0 speed throughout, but this can be adjusted for each person’s skill level. The routine primarily utilizes the Rated Perceived Exertion scale — or RPE for short. Your rate of perceived exertion measures how difficult an exercise is. Feel free to alter your speed and incline rate so it matches the RPE indicated in the table below.

5 minutes	4 miles per hour	3-3.5 incline	5 RPE
2 minutes	4 miles per hour	8-10 incline	7 RPE
1 minute	4 miles per hour	4-6 incline	6 RPE
2 minutes	4 miles per hour	10 incline	8 RPE
1 minute	4 miles per hour	5-7 incline	7 RPE
2 minutes	4 miles per hour	12 incline	9 RPE
1 minute	4 miles per hour	10 incline	8 RPE
1 minute	4 miles per hour	12 incline	9 RPE
5 minutes	4 miles per hour	2-4 incline	5 RPE

4. Pacing workout. This routine is all about working on speed. To start out, run between one and three miles for a warm-up. After that, run one mile at your marathon pace — or your general race pace. For the next three miles, increase your speed by 10 seconds per mile. Finish up with a one to three mile cool down.

1-3 miles	Warm-up
1 mile	Marathon pace/race pace
1 mile	10 seconds faster than race pace
1 mile	20 seconds faster than race pace
1 mile	30 seconds faster than race pace
1 mile	Cool down

5. The 10-4 workout.

Endurance is the focus of this longer workout. Begin this workout by warming up for 10 minutes, taking it at an easy pace on the treadmill. After your warm-up, run for 10 minutes at your current 10K pace — or your general race pace. Slow it down for four minutes to let your body recover. Repeat the pattern again. Finish the workout by cooling down for 10 minutes.

10 minutes	Warm-up pace
10 minutes	10K pace/race pace
4 minutes	Jog/recover
10 minutes	10K pace/race pace
4 minutes	Jog/recover
10 minutes	Cool down

 

While the treadmill is no match for the outdoors, when the temperatures drop well below freezing, these workouts can help you stay focused on your running goals through the chilliest months.