HYROX and many other hybrid races are held indoors. So should you train on a treadmill? Both have a place.
Benefits of the treadmill
- Controlled pace: good for intervals and learning race pace.
- Near your stations: easy to switch between running and station work in a gym.
- Weather-proof: useful in extreme heat, cold or darkness.
- Indoor conditions: closer to a race hall.
Benefits of running outside
- Real running: you push yourself forward rather than the belt moving under you.
- Variety: hills, turns and different surfaces.
- Pacing by feel: you learn to judge effort without a display.
How to combine them
- Easy runs: outside where possible.
- Intervals and threshold runs: either.
- Compromised running: treadmill is handy in a gym.
- Race simulations: in a gym, with a treadmill, is convenient.
Treadmill tips
- Set a small incline — around 1 percent — if you want it to feel closer to outdoor running.
- Practise getting on and off quickly between stations.
Race-day running
Race courses are laps on a hall floor, with tight turns. Practise running with turns if you can.
Curved treadmills
Some races, such as HybridX, use a curved, self-powered treadmill. See HybridX explained.