To ask how far you can run on a treadmill? And how often you exercise?!

[Anieea]

And your age?

I’m 38 and can only manage 2 miles (3km).

I do this three times a week, is this enough?! Starting to worry about fitness as I head towards forty…

I literally can't run and never have been able to. But I can swim 5k no problem. I used to be a county level swimmer when I was a teenager and I still couldn't run. Maybe its my hypermobile joints, I don't know. I swim about an hour 3x per week and do strength work/PT 3x. One rest day.

No idea, I have never been on a treadmill and never ever run.

I'll be 70 next birthday. I can't run due to severe back problems and a hip that will need replacing soon - I've already had one hip replacement. My mobility is therefore very restricted and I can't walk more than a few yards normally without discomfort. I can however manage to walk on a treadmill at a steady pace and I do that for about 20 minutes most days. I also do half an hour on the recumbent bike. I had a PT but he left and I'm holding off getting another until I see where I am with surgery. I do keep up the resistance training I did with him and I do a 45 minutes Aqua Aerobics class nearly every day.

I never run on a treadmill - it feels weird and I get bored. If you’re doing 2 miles regularly though just start adding a bit on to one of your runs (basic rule of thumb is add 10% per week) and you’ll be amazed what you’re capable of. You’ve got a solid base there to build on.

I can run 17 miles outside. I run twice a week (my knees and pelvic floor seem to prefer this to 3 times), one shorter and one longer depending on mood/free time/period pains/life stuff.

I do a 1 hour Pilates class a week consistently, plus sometimes a bit at home.

I intend to strength train 3x a week using the Caliber app and weights, but rarely actually manage it because my motivation for this is that I know I should do it for my bones, whereas running and Pilates I just really enjoy and find fun/would miss them if I stopped. So probably 1 weights session every 2 weeks, being brutally honest with myself!

I’m 38 and part time with one child who’s in school, so have spare time to loose several hours a week bimbling through the woods listening to music. Am well aware this is a luxury!

I don't run at all unless I've got to catch a bus. But I can put in a pretty good showing for those 2 minutes. I do weights 2-3 times a week, yoga on other days and walk for miles every day too. You have to do things you enjoy and that work for you - in my case joint hypermobility means running can easily cause me injury, from experience it's not worth it for me, even if I liked it.

No more than 10 minutes on a treadmill. I hate them.

I run long distances outside though, from marathons on the road to 6+ hours on running on the trails.

I can do 5k, verrrry slowly! Not on a treadmill though - too boring!

Hate running!

But exercise about 3-4 times a week. Mix of walking and exercise classes, including strength training

I usually do 15km-20km outdoors. Less on a treadmill because it's so boring.

I started running in my late 20s and despite being skinny, I wasn't fit. I barely made a kilometre before keeling over. But within a year I was doing 8km, then upped it to 10km... etc. It's an amazing feeling when you suddenly realise a distance that was once impossible is now something you can knock off without thinking for a "short run".

I used to run 10km on a treadmill every weekday. But treadmill running is tedious. I used to watch an episode of Deep Space 9 and that was me done each time. Outside running is better but harder work. You’ll get there OP. Don’t forget weights! They’re very important as you get older.

I'm 61. I don't run on the treadmill but walk and use it to top up steps every day if needed. I do 10,000 steps as a minimum. I do strength training twice a week and circuit training twice a week and 2x 30 min sessions of cardio on the x-trainer. I'm probably fitter now than I was 10 years ago. Since retiring I have the time and energy to look after myself better.

At 40 I could run 5K outside relatively easily (mostly walking up the steep hilly bits), walked 7 to 8k most days and did quite long hikes at the weekend. I wasn't as fit as I was in my 30s but it was OK.

I should have kept that up! Now in my 50s after a long gap - I'm weight training 2 to 3 times a week and building up my walking again.

I'd say get yourself outside and start walking with hills and running outside. It doesn't to be honest sound that fit.

I don't run at all, and don't deliberately exercise because I hate it. In my forties.

I second couch to 5k recommendation, started that programme last summer and now run half marathons (I was the last person anyone expected to take up running and absolutely hated it before). On average I probably run 20km a week across 3 runs 2 of those with a local run club which (again) I never thought I would enjoy but I look forward to them now!

I’m 30

Did regular 5k, the odd 10k and weights. Then 2 months ago I had pes anserinus bursitis and it completely stopped everything. It has been very slow going for healing for some reason, even though the websites seem to suggest with rest in should have got better in a couple of weeks.

I'm not 100% but it's more stiff than agony now, and usually only in the morning.

So I did an incredibly slow (for me, 9 mins per km) 3k yesterday and am trying to slowly get back into it. Not sure if I'll hit 10k again, it would be nice but I'll take 3k and 5k runs, at least I'm doing something.

would you mind linking to this podcast please?

enough for what?? if you want to run a half marathon, then no, it's not enough, if you want to improve your cardiac fitness it'll help a bit. But if you can only run 2 miles then you need to go back to run/walk intervals or decrease the speed to help increase your stamina. And then you can work on improving your pace with speed work intervals. And you need to do some resistance work.
How far I can run is usually based on when I hit the peak of boredom on a treadmill. Rarely use them as I run outside - around 30 miles a week at the moment.

I run 20 km ish a week, one park run (5 km), normally another tempo / interval run between 5 - 7 km and then one long run up to 10 km (a newer distance for me & one I find hard).

I’ve been running off and on since I was 28 (used to hate running but got into it after a breakup) and am 35 now. Had a long break last year due to injury and used couch to 5 km to build up again, really recommend. Now I use the Runna app. Aside from running I do vinyasa yoga 2 - 3 times a week, one rest day.

I HATE treadmills. I’m very clumsy and always fall off! Some friends love Barry’s Bootcamp but it incorporates a treadmill so I’m too scared to come 😂 sounds hellish anyway

The problem with threads like this op is that only the fit and healthy will answer. Leaving you feeling like a slug. The people who walk no further than their car door will not answer this thread. You are already doing better than most people by running 3km so hold onto that.

and what other people do isn’t really relevant either. Because, well, they’re other people.

FWIW I do 5km two or three times a week on the treadmill. I’m 58. I also do strength work and pilates

Couch to 5k is a good way to build up.

The problem with threads like this op is that only the fit and healthy will answer. Leaving you feeling like a slug. The people who walk no further than their car door will not answer this thread. You are already doing better than most people by running 3km so hold onto that. and what other people do isn’t really relevant either. Because, well, they’re other people.

Lots of people who've answered are people who clearly state that they went from not being able to run at all, to developing that ability by slowly but surely training it. With lots of recommendations for apps like C25K, which is actually immensely helpful as it gives hope, inspiration and practical advice.

FWIW, I'm coming towards the end of C25K myself and am currently in the position of being amazed at how I've gone from seriously struggling through WK1, where you run for a total of 8 minutes in 1 minute increments, with 1.5 minute walks. I was genuinely in bits doing just that much, and I was a mad sweaty mess after it. I was doing it on a treadmill right by open patio doors and had to get a fan to aim at myself as I was getting so hot. (And this was not on especially hot days.) And I had the speed set to just 6km/p/h, which is barely a brisk walk.

It's honestly mind-blowing that I'm now running 27 minutes at 8.5/km/p/h, with the last two of minutes at 10km/p/h, because I could never run. Even when I've been at athletic levels of physical fitness in non-impact cardio and strength, I could not run for more than a minute without turning into a panting tomato. So now I know that even though just doing that last bit at a faster speed kills me and I can't quite see how I'm going to manage a whole 30 minutes at the faster speed, I know that in a month or two, if I keep running, I'll probably be smashing that too. And a treadmill is handy if you have one, because while it's definitely a bit different to running outside, I feel less embarrassed on a treadmill, both at home and in the gym, than I do outside where every random person can see me be completely crap. (I'm actually the same in the pool, I'm a poor-moderate level swimmer and I find myself too embarrassed to swim in the proper lanes until I improve, even though I see people who don't swim as well as me in them all the time.)

I am 48 and running is hurting my knee, so rather the speed I add incline. I go to the gym 4x or 5x a week and walk incline 7 or 8 at 5.7 kmh for 60 minutes. No sore knee and 37lb down in 12 months.

Probably about 30 seconds and I will detest every single moment.

Ask me the same question about a rower or spin bike and the answer is the polar opposite. So maybe don't focus exclusively on treadmill accomplishments if running isn't your thing?

For completeness, I workout 2-4 times a week, doing a mix of cardio and weights, plus walking to and from work a couple times too.

Lots of people who've answered are people who clearly state that they went from not being able to run at all, to developing that ability by slowly but surely training it. With lots of recommendations for apps like C25K, which is actually immensely helpful as it gives hope, inspiration and practical advice.

I absolutely agree. But nobody who has said “I can’t run for the bus and never have and never will” are on the thread because these threads are self selecting like that. I was pointing out that the op will only get answers from certain people and that she shouldn’t feel like a failure because she’s already doing better than most!

I did offer advice as well. And hopefully encouragement! I just know that when I am not doing much exercise I can feel dispirited to see how much more everyone else is doing when in reality I’m doing ok.

Why on earth would you run on a treadmill? Get outside. Inspire youtsf. I’ve been running 30 years. Have done 13 marathons and many 10ks, hill races, ultras etc. I’m addicted to running. It keeps me slim, healthy and happy, and I’ve made lots of good friends through it. It’s a great, cheap sport. There’s no way I’d run on a treadmill, and neither would anyone I know.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hx3nfIQ8CU7piKYIdcbY1?si=g7eKcPi_T7-kNMgDx7Vqdg