General Discussion Triathlon Talk » What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill? Rss Feed  
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2013-02-16 6:33 PM

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Subject: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

Its the middle of winter in New England with lots of snow and ice on the roads which means lots of trainer and treadmill time. I was just wondering which work out is harder for everyone to get through mentally.

For me it is the trainer. For some reason 2 hours on the treadmill goes by pretty quick, but 2 hours on the trainer seems like time is going backwards sometimes. Even with a movie or my Lake Placid spinervals DVD trainer time can be tough. I am looking forward to outside riding again for sure.



2013-02-16 7:37 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Trainer, as i Enjoy running alot more. Even though I can't run right now...
2013-02-16 7:38 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
LOL they both SUCK!!  Thank God I live in So California!
2013-02-16 9:49 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Treadmill for sure. I did 3hrs on the trainer today and had no problem. I have a lot of difficulty doing even 30 min on a treadmill.
2013-02-16 9:58 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
They're about the same for me as far as mental challenges go.
2013-02-16 10:28 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Depends how I feel that day.


2013-02-16 10:40 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

I can do an hour on the treadmill and that is painful. I can ride 4 hours on the trainer and that is painful. So I run outside for most of my runs except for 1 day/wk I do a treadmill session to hit certain goals. 

I almost prefer trainer workouts for the benefits I get since I don't have to stop ever on top of not having to deal with some of the idiot drivers around my area.  But there still isn't anything like being able to get out on the road and ride.  Hill repeats just aren't the same on a trainer.

2013-02-17 8:47 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
I can ride on the trainer for hours (I'm about to hop on it now for three hours) but I can't run more than 20 minutes on a treadmill.
2013-02-17 8:59 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

Treadmill for me, too.  I love to run, it is by far my favorite, but I NEED to be outside...LOL.

I have done several 4 hour trainer rides.  Don't get me wrong, these were tough, but I can handle being on a trainer MUCH better than I can handle being on a treadmill!

Of course, I'd rather be outside for both .

2013-02-17 9:19 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Both would be hard for me, but I think I could do the trainer.  Challenge there would be that trainer rides are usually high intensity for me to make the time pass, so two hours like that would be physically demanding.  I'm pretty sure I couldn't do two hours on the treadmill.  But, that would be a really long run for me, so not sure I will ever have the reason to do it, thankfully.
2013-02-17 10:01 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

BOTH are the PITS but the only way I can last on the treadmill for an hour is to mix it up & make it really really hard.I really really hate just a drone run on the rubber belt..The drainer I can tolerate more but again HAS to be a true workout..hills or a virtual race..and company helps..having someone next to you riding into nowhere & sweating bullets is better than doing it alone..and keeps me from slacking off!!

definitely live in the wrong part of the world..lol!



2013-02-17 12:58 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
I can do similar workouts on a treadmill!!  Some of my best interval work is on the "dreadmill" lol.

Def. beats the slow droning away on one :p
2013-02-17 1:20 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

I cannot run much past 30 minutes on a treadmill.  It's the atmosphere of running indoors that gets me.  I do 99% of my workouts outdoors rain/snow/wind/shine.  I do use the sprint 8 program for speed work on a treadmill, but that takes about 20 minutes at the most.

I can ride on a trainer for an hour easy.  There are so many more workouts I can do on a  trainer that keep me going vs. running on a treadmill.  Most of my runs are build phase log mile type runs any how, and I would rather do those out of doors on pre determined routes.  That way, I always have a comparison from one run to the next.

2013-02-17 3:29 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
I would rather do 100 miles on the trainer (and I have) than 1 mile on the treadmill.  It has nothing to do with boredom...well maybe a little but the treadmill is NOT kind to my body and tears me up.  I'll pass
2013-02-17 5:12 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
WOW thats a good question, I hate both but can tolerate the trainer better than I can the treadmill.  
2013-02-17 5:52 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Can you set netflix up in front of both? It feels easy enough to stay on a trainer for hours even at a good aerobic clip for hours on end if there are good movies to play. Distractions are powerful tools :P

Edited by odpaul7 2013-02-17 5:53 PM


2013-02-17 6:10 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

My answer is similar to the one I gave in the trainer vs road thread.

Anytime you are training indoor whether it be on the trainer or treadmill it is important to stay mentally engaged throught the duration of the workout. The best way to do that on either device is to incorporate short to medium duration intervals with varying cadences/paces throughout. It makes 2 hours of anything inside that much more bearable.

2013-02-18 6:46 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
The trainer is much more mentally challenging for me. I need to have constant stimulation to keep me from going nuts. I don't find that same problem on the treadmill for some reason. Can do up to 2 hr runs with no problem.
2013-03-06 6:17 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
I couldn't imagine 2 hours on the treadmill maybe because I don't own one and would have to do it at the gym. 2-3 hours on the trainer is no problem for me. Boot up the PS3 play a few games of NHL13, switch over to Netflix and spin away.
2013-03-06 6:39 PM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?

I rather run on the treadmill...but only if it's in an air conditioned area and there is a pretty good fan blowing on me.  In the gym, after an hour, I'm soaked in sweat on the treadmill.  I've done 2 hours before, but only after soaking 2 towels and covering the treadmill with sweat.  As far as the actual activity of running on the treadmill.  I don't mind it.  I actually like being able to run at a constant pace while almost closing my eyes. 

For the trainer though, I get bored riding at the same effort and being forced to change it up myself.  I like being able to ride outside and have wind, hills, turns, etc challenge me.  I also like just having the bike under me being able to move a little side to side instead of being locked into the trainer. 

2013-03-07 8:18 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
2 hours on the treadmill would kill me. 2 hours on the trainer is not bad IMO, I have done it before and will do more long trainer sessions.


2013-03-07 8:24 AM
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Subject: RE: What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill?
Treadmill, hands down. I don't think I've ever done a 2-hour run on one; pretty sure my record is 90 minutes. I think it's because I like to run and expect that most runs will be interesting and enjoyable. The treadmill is dull, I can't focus on TV or videos without vertigo, and it somehow changes my stride so I always feel more sore and tired afterward. To be honest, I don't really like bike training the way I do swim and run workouts. I just put up with it so I'll be able to run well off the bike in tris. (Have the horrible feeling that no amount of training is going to make me an FOP biker unless the race is all uphill!)  I don't expect it to be enjoyable, just a strenuous, sweaty workout. I guess my expectations are lower so I don't mind the tedium as much.  And given the traffic here, the trainer is a lot more relaxing!
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » What's more mentally challenging for you, 2 hours on the trainer or 2 hours on the treadmill? Rss Feed