Running is never easy. Whether you’re just starting out, a long-distance afficionado or a marathon veteran, you can always become a better runner, but it will never get easier. That’s because no matter what anyone tells you, running should always be a challenge. As you improve, you’ll continue to set new goals and find new ways to push yourself. I’m sure that even the legendary Eliud Kipchoge, the only man to run a marathon in less than two hours, doesn’t find running easy because he’s always pushing his body to its limit. With this in mind, I set out to test my mettle with Peloton’s monthly running challenge. I found new ways to push myself and as a result, my endurance was rewarded with a massive improvement.
Before I took on Peloton’s challenge, I would describe myself as a half-assed runner. I would go on the occasional run, two to three times per week around local parks or on a treadmill at the gym, but I wouldn’t dream of taking on something like Sydney’s annual City2Surf event, or anything over 10km for that matter, the thought of which would make me feel out of breath. Put simply, I had never challenged myself to take the next step and commit to a consistent running routine.
On the surface, the challenge was formidable. To reach the prestigious gold class, I needed to run 64km in a month. That’s around 2.5km per day, which may not sound like much, but missing a day or two means the daily target quickly grows. Add to this the fact that I took on Peloton’s challenge in the month of February, which is of course the shortest month, and the task becomes even more daunting.
Fittingly, the day I began the challenge was a drizzly one, meaning that outdoor running wasn’t an option anyway. I began a 20-minute class with low expectations that were immediately shattered. At the behest of an instructor, I was encouraged to continually go faster, push harder and run for longer. I very quickly found that, thanks to the Tread’s exer-tainment capabilities that blend exercise with entertainment, running 2.5km a day would be a breeze. The new challenge was limiting myself to such a brief run, I began skipping days so that I could have longer sessions.
Heading in, I knew the biggest challenge would be boredom. Running is hard enough, but making it a dedicated facet of my daily routine would surely usher in unprecedented repetition and tedium. Given that for the last few years, my typical run would feature a quick warm up, a few classic workout songs and a fairly consistent pace throughout, I expected my daily run’s to be drab, drawn out and unfulfilling. That was no longer a problem with the Peloton Tread.
My monthly distance quickly added up. After two weeks, I had already run the equivalent of a marathon – a feat that left me in disbelief. By the end of the month my runs were far longer and my splits were much quicker. I finished the month with 70km under my belt and a new passion for running, the credit for which belongs largely to the Tread.
The Peloton Tread reenergises running. With a litany of interactive features like a leaderboard, instructor feedback and the ability to high five other people in your class, the Tread made me feel like I was running in a group, with all the associated support and competitiveness. This was crucial in helping me run almost every day and achieving my goals.
Before my experience with the Tread, I rarely pushed myself or attempted to take note of things like splits and personal bests. As a result, I could only run a kilometre in around six minutes. At the end of my monthly challenge, my typical kilometre split was down to around four minutes and 30 seconds. On a day I felt particularly game, I went all out and ran a kilometre in what clocked in as 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Although I was absolutely spent after that run, I was in disbelief at how quickly the Tread had improved my endurance in such drastic fashion.
Beyond the tangible changes in my splits and average pace, the mental overhaul the Tread instilled was immense. Going for a run used to feel like a chore. Now as soon as I finish a workout, I start planning my next one, which is made easy by the Tread, which allows the scheduling of workout’s so you can squeeze one into a lunch break, right before bed, or the early hours of the morning. If you’re looking to bolster your endurance and take your running up a notch, the Peloton Tread is the way to do it.
The Peloton Tread was exactly what I needed to revamp my fitness routine. For more information and details on the Tread, visit the Peloton website here.
