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]]>Use an Incline
Walking on a slight incline is a good way to ensure you get the right resistance out of your walk and run. Think about it: with the mat moving under you and no wind resistance or unevenness like outside, no incline is easier than a normal run. Don’t overdo it though, as too high an incline for extended periods of time can cause undue strain.
Use Music or TV to Stay Focused
Sometimes the best way to run is to let yourself get lost in a show or playlist and let your body take over. The natural breaks for commercials or a new song will also give you a sense of when it’s time to ramp up or cool down. Remember, if you do watch TV, make sure you don’t need to turn your head to do so because prolonged head turning will strain your neck!
Don’t Forget Warmup and Cool-down
With a treadmill, it’s easier to get a head start and to stop immediately when you’re done because you just press the buttons, instead of needing to make yourself go faster or walk home when you’re done. But warmup and cool-down are important for your heart rate. If your machine has a heart rate sensor you can use that to ensure you’re raising and lowering safely.
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]]>Treadmills
You can walk, jog, or run on treadmills while controlling the speed, incline, pace, and tracking your distance. Treadmills mainly target your lower body and sprinting hits your calves, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and abs. For runners, treadmills are a great alternative to running outside and they control pace and speed while avoiding the high impact of running on concrete. But, if you’re dealing with ankle, knee, or hip injuries, treadmills put more stress on your joints compared to other cardio machines.
• Boston is a hilly course. The infamous Heartbreak Hill in Newton, MA is one of the most dreaded hills in road racing. It’s the last of four hills which start around the 26km (16mi) mark and finish at around the 33km (21mi) mark 
I used Strava to check out the hills. And with a treadmill, I’ve reproduced the inclines and distances during long runs. Here they are! 1) Washington: 2% grade for 1km (0.63mi) 2) Brae Burn: 4% for 500m (0.32mi) 3) Unnamed: 3% for 800m (0.5mi) 4) Heartbreak 
: 4.2% for 600m (0.37mi) • Take this with a grain of salt, because my analysis wasn’t perfect. If you want to use this in training, dial it up 0.5% higher on the incline and go a quarter mile farther. Now, if I can only find a treadmill in Ottawa that can replicate the DOWNHILLS of Boston, I’d be on my way! • 
credit to my son while we were puppy/house sitting at my in-laws’ place this past weekend 
• Happy Monday, fam!! • • #marathontraining #bostonmarathon #hilltraining #treadmill #treadmillrunning #cookierun #heartbreakhill #happymonday
Ellipticals
On ellipticals, you can go backward or forward and increase the resistance. Ellipticals target your lower body including your hamstrings, quads, and glutes. If you push and pull the handles, you’ll get a full-body workout. For overtrained or achy joints, ellipticals are amazing low-impact cardio options. If you’re looking for functional training, to log your mileage, or to increase the incline ellipticals are not the best cardio machines for you.
Final Thoughts
Both ellipticals and treadmills are good for exercising, but it depends on what you’re training for, your body, and the movements you enjoy. Mix it up from time to time and try both machines!
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