Can You *Really* Train for a Marathon on a Treadmill? (Spoiler: Yes, You Can)

Even though the vast majority of races take place outdoors, you don’t need to do all your running outside to prepare for them. In fact, Peloton instructor Jeffrey McEachern says he always completes about 80 percent of his training for any race on a treadmill. “It is my safe space,” he says. 

Hopping on the Peloton Tread lets him get in his workouts no matter what kind of mischief the weather is up to outside. And without having to map out a safe route, drive anywhere, or wait until the sun comes up, it helps him stick to his weekly mileage goals. “It's in my home, so I can run at any time,” says Jeffrey, adding that he once even ran an entire marathon on the machine.

Yes, that’s right—you can hit serious double-digit mileage on a Tread. Even if you don’t want to race a full 26.2 miles on a treadmill, it can be a super smart way to get ready for your next marathon. But if you’re not sure how to best incorporate it into your overall race prep, you’ve come to the right place: Here’s what you need to know before you try training for a marathon on a treadmill. 

Can You Train for a Marathon On a Treadmill?

The short answer: Yes, you can absolutely use a treadmill for marathon training. It can be an incredibly helpful tool for training, as long as you keep a few things in mind. 

A Treadmill Can Make You More Consistent

Jeffrey points out that a major benefit of having a treadmill in his home is simply that he sees it every day, giving him a regular reminder to run. It also makes getting in that run easier. “Life gets busy, plans change, so sometimes you just have to adapt,” he says. “Having the ability to train in my own home, not having to wonder whether it's going to be light [or] wet outside is so, so helpful.” 

You Can Hit Your Goal Paces Precisely

When you’re running outside, it can be a bit tricky to home in on a particular speed. Sometimes the GPS on your watch might be off, but even when it’s spot-on, it’s still physically difficult to have your legs hit the same exact pace the entire time. “With the tread, you can just set it and stay within that speed range that you want to push yourself with,” Jeffrey says. Whether you want to practice marathon pace, or hit 7-minute miles during your intervals, on a Tread there’s no second-guessing how fast you’re going. 

This can help give you a great sense of your real fitness. “It gives you that option to get to know your body in such a special way,” Jeffrey says. “On the Tread, I get to know where I'm currently at better because I can control my speed and adapt my incline.”

It Makes Hill Training Accessible No Matter Where You Live

Runners who live in flat neighborhoods might have to drive pretty far to find somewhere outdoors to do the hill training they need to tackle a marathon with lots of elevation. A treadmill can be a great substitute. You can mimic the elevation profile of the course by adjusting the incline in precise increments, or simply get your legs used to climbing. Jeffrey says when he first started running, he gradually increased the incline, regularly going from one to two, then three percent grade. “That is super helpful for your legs to get used to the workouts that you're doing and for the impact that your body is about to embrace," he says. 

You Don’t Have to Worry About Cars or Stop Lights

A huge benefit of a treadmill is that it’s a dedicated space for running. Unlike the road, you can get in your miles without stopping for cars, or wayward dogs, or piles of snow on the sidewalk. You’re in your own running space with nothing to get in the way. “You are in your safe environment, in control of how you train,” Jeffrey says. 

It’s Gentler On Your Body

Training for a marathon requires lots of running, which can take a toll on your body. But research shows that you may be able to offload some of the impact by hopping on a treadmill. When researchers assessed 77 treadmills, 30 artificial turf pitches, and 30 athletics tracks, they found that treadmills generally provided more shock absorption than outdoor surfaces. “Know that you're doing something good for your body, as you are saving your joints,” Jeffrey says. The decreased impact means you can run with a lower risk of injury.  

However, You’ll Want to Prep for Outdoor Variables 

Despite all the benefits of training for a marathon on a treadmill, Jeffrey does recommend doing at least some of your training outdoors. “Especially if this is one of the first races, I think it is important to go outside,” he says. In particular, Jeffrey recommends doing the longest run of your training block on the same surface the race will be held on—whether that’s asphalt or dirt trails—so that you can use it as a dress rehearsal 

“Now that you've done the speed and the training on the treadmill, what happens to your mind when you're outside? How do you need to distract or focus yourself?” he says. You might also realize that you’ll need a hat or sunglasses, or more cushioned shoes. “If you don't do it in training at all, you might be surprised that on race day, the impact of the street might feel different than it did in training.”

3 Tips for Training for a Marathon on a Treadmill

To make the most out of training for a marathon on a treadmill, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning your workouts to account for the differences between running inside versus outside.

Take Advantage of Treadmill Settings for Marathon Training 

A great way to leverage treadmill training is to play with the incline. “It really helps you adapt to the outside and also moves your muscles and your joints in a different way,” Jeffrey says. “If you use the incline, you have more resistance on your legs—that builds strength and that is something that really can help you set you up for the race that you're about to have.” For his own races, he’ll research the course to find out what kinds of hills he’ll encounter on race day, then adapt his runs to prepare for that. 

On the Peloton Tread and Tread+, you can manually adjust the incline whenever you want, or you can use the auto-adjust feature during on-demand classes to have the deck raise up or lower down according to the instructor’s cues, no button-tapping required.  

Practice Your Hydration and Fueling Strategies

One often overlooked benefit of a treadmill? The storage space for a water bottle and gels. “You don't need to carry your hydration and fuel on your body because you have somewhere to put it on your treadmill,” Jeffrey says. This lets you simply focus on your running and speed.  

Even better, you’ve got easy access to a bathroom if something ends up not sitting well in your stomach, Jeffrey points out. This means you can safely experiment with different kinds of fuel to figure out which will serve you best. “You have the power to try your hydration strategy and your fueling strategy very well,” Jeffrey says. 

Embrace Your Entertainment Options 

When you’re running outside, it can be a dicey gamble to tune out to a podcast or your favorite playlist—you always need to keep an ear out for potential hazards like cars. On a treadmill, however, that’s not something you need to worry about since you’re in a safe, controlled space. 

Even better, Peloton Tread and Tread+ give you access to a whole bunch of entertainment options such as instructor-led classes and streaming movies. Which leads us to…

How Peloton Tread+ Can Level Up Your Marathon Training

If you’re looking to take your marathon training on a treadmill up a notch, the Peloton Tread+ can be a secret weapon. The extra-long 67-inch belt lets runners up to 6’4” fully open up their stride, while the rubberized slats provide less impact. 

Meanwhile the 32-inch HD touchscreen immerses you in an array of entertainment options. “Some days we need to be distracted,” Jeffrey admits. “The ability to watch something, whether it is a class or your favorite series, is just a beautiful feature.”

In particular, he says Peloton’s instructors help to keep him engaged during—and getting the most out of—his long runs. “There are days where I will stack classes one after another, especially if I have a long run and just need to hold one pace,” he says. “I just watch them to get inspired, to have the music. And there's always something that the instructor says that catches me, or nuggets that can light a fire.”

He also appreciates the array of options for both long and short speed sessions, from intervals, to tempo runs and fartleks. Runners can turn on the auto-adjust feature during these workouts so that the incline and speed will follow the instructor’s cues, and you can just focus on keeping up. (If you’re not sure which classes to do when, simply sign up for the marathon training program on the Peloton App—it will all be laid out for you there.) 

However, when you’re not in the mood for a class, the Tread+ still has you covered. You can try scenic runs that make you feel like you’re running along an epic route—there’s even a New York City Marathon Scenic Run with advice from Peloton instructors for each section of the course. Or, you can just zone out to Netflix or YouTube. 

“Sometimes you need that extra bit of push,” Jeffrey says. “I mean, tell me you can watch Suzie's Badwater documentary without feeling empowered. I don't think that can happen. Watching that and running at the same time, that is just epic."

How to Adapt Marathon Training Programs for Treadmills

Whether they’re doing some marathon training on a treadmill, or running exclusively indoors, many runners wonder whether they need to tweak their training plan to account for the fact that they’re running on a machine. "I personally don't change my training plan if I am training on a Tread or if I would train outside,” Jeffrey says. 

But once he gets into the thick of marathon training, he notices that he naturally does a couple things a little differently on the treadmill. “I've actually found I push myself a little more in my speed sessions on the Tread because you have the option just to add 0.1, and that 0.1 might not seem a lot at the time, but it will make a difference in the distances that you are running,” he says. 

He also finds that he’s more likely to actually take time for a cooldown when he’s running on the Tread. “I find myself doing a little more, making sure that I actually take a five-minute cool down run or five minute cool down walk,” he says. “Sometimes when I run outside I will start and finish at home, and I find myself not doing that extra movement that my body might need to recover. So for me, that is something very special and unique that the tread holds."

The bottom line: While you don’t need to adjust your training plan, you might find you approach it a little differently when you’re training for a marathon on a treadmill.

The Takeaway

From the convenience factor to the entertainment options, there are a number of benefits to training for a marathon on a treadmill. It’s a great way to prepare physically, helping you nail your paces. But just be sure to take at least a few of your runs outside to get you ready for the unwieldy outdoor variables that might show up on race day.