An athlete can be sure that adding one treadmill workout per week will add value to the running that he or she is doing. The treadmill will encourage a faster turn over or cadence, make it easier to settle into a rhythm and hold on to it, and most of all will make it simple to quantify progress the athlete has made.

Here is a progression of 4 treadmill workouts that will add speed to an athlete's 10k run.

Week # 1

10 minute jog warm up (start easy and build up the speed slightly as you start to get warmed up)

5 x 30 seconds fast at increasingly faster speeds with 30 seconds light job in between each

10- 15 x 1 minute at 5k race pace* with 1 minute rest in between each (rest can be standing, walking or jogging very slowly)

15-minute jog/walk easy with a focus on relaxed upper body, good exhales and reflection on the hard work you did

TOTAL TIME: 45-55 minute workout

*you may have to convert your time to miles or kilometres per hour so that you are able to set the treadmill to the correct speed. There are many tools on line to help you convert your pace speed into miles or kilometres depending on the treadmill you have access to. (i.e. if you run 5k in 20 minutes then you will need to set the treadmill to 15km/hr to hit your 5km pace.)

Focus On

Settling into a good rhythm and relaxing

The first few will seem easy however once about half way through the set it will become challenging

Focus on a quick turn over (cadence)

Remember to set the treadmill to a 1% grade because that better simulates the "toe-off" of running on the road

Week # 2
This week will have the same warm up and cool down. Keep in mind that the 30-second warm up pieces won't always feel good. Set the treadmill at a very fast speed to help "open up the pipes," and get warmed up. You want to make sure you are really warmed up and ready to go on the very first interval.

Main Set: 8-12 x 90 seconds at 5k race pace with 1 minute rest (rest can be standing, walking or jogging very slowly)

TOTAL TIME: 45-55 minutes

Focus On

You are doing 50% longer pieces this week so stick to approximately the same total time of fast running as you did in the first week

Allow the treadmill to encourage a fast turn over in your legs

When the set starts to get challenging think about a slight forward lean stemming from your hips and relaxing your upper body

If you use a heart rate strap then try and relax during the pieces and see if you can lower your heart rate by a beat or two

Remember to push through the 90 seconds of work with good form and then rest completely or at a very slow jog in between

Details! The finer details of training to race are key. During this workout add in a hydration training challenge. Place a water bottle on the console of the treadmill and try taking a drink in the middle of one of your hard pieces. This will train you to get a good mouth full and swallow it while controlling your breathing and continuing to run at pace and also get your stomach used to running hard with fluids.

Week # 3

Week three will go back to shorter intervals at a quicker pace while also increasing the number of repetitions by approximately 30%. Last week focused on longer periods of time at 5k race pace while this week will encourage you to run faster for a shorter period of time while asking your body to push on for longer. Again, focus on being light and quick in your lower body. Allow your feet quickly come off the treadmill after each foot strike. Also let your body lean forward. This point was mentioned last week and you should really focus on it this week. You want your body to be encouraged to move forward so lean ever so slightly into your running stride and see how it feels.

Workout Three

10 minute jog warm up (start easy and build up the speed slightly as you start to get warmed up)

5 x 30 seconds fast at increasingly faster speeds with 30 seconds light job in between each (make sure you are running quicker than you will set the treadmill at for your main set.

15- 20 x 1 minute of 10-20 seconds/mile faster than 5k race pace with 1 minute standing walking or slow jogging in between each.

15-minute easy jog/walk on the treadmill or outside if you'd prefer

TOTAL TIME: 55-65 minute workout

Focus On

Warming up well. Your one minute pace will be 10-20 seconds/mile faster than 5k pace so do the 30 second warm up pieces 20-30 seconds/mile faster than 5k race pace

Pace yourself. The first few will feel good but remember that the goal is to finish 15-20 of them. You are now building your threshold with a faster speed so doing 5 or 6 of them isn't as beneficial at finishing the set. You must train your body to run faster, longer. Keep the rest to a minute but stand at the end of the treadmill or walk around a bit; don't feel like you need to keep jogging in between each one.

Encourage yourself by recognizing that your are running faster than 2 weeks ago. Positive thoughts and self encouragement will get you a long way during training sets but practicing positive self talk will help you be prepared to do the same on race day.

Week # 4

The final week of four will test your ability to hold your 10k goal race pace (slower pace then you have worked on during the previous three weeks) for longer periods of time. Working at 10k goal race pace after doing three weeks of treadmill work at 5k race pace or faster should seem easier. The goal of this week's workout is not to work so much on speed as much as it is to familiarize your body with the speed that you wish to be running at for 10k. Do the best you can to maintain a relaxed rhythm while focusing on full breaths. Think about how your legs are turning over and check in with your arms and upper body to make sure they are controlled and relaxed. No shoulders up around your ears.

Workout Four

10 minute jog warm up (start easy and build up the speed slightly as you start to get warmed up)

5 x 30 seconds of building to sprint followed by 30 seconds easy jogging (if you plug in the speed you want to end up at while continuing to jog most treadmills will gradually get to that speed and that's what sort of build to sprint you want)

6-8 x 3:30 mins at 10k race pace with 1:30 mins walk, jog or standing rest in between

15-minute easy jog/walk on the treadmill or outside if you'd prefer

TOTAL TIME: 55-65 minutes

Focus On

Warming up well. The same speeds routine that you would prior to a 10k race. If you prefer to jog a bit longer or shorter then do so and make sure to do some quick fast builds of approximately 30 seconds to help really get your blood flowing through your entire body and deep into your muscles.

Don't forget about hydration. Place a water bottle on the console of the treadmill and take a drink while running faster or do so during the rest periods. Remember that you need to train your stomach to handle fluid intake while running in order to reduce the chances of stomach cramping.

Settle into your pace right from the start and allow yourself to see how the pace feels. The first couple repeats may not feel that great and that could be a result of too much, too little or not the right warm up. Take that into consideration and adjust your warm up accordingly.

You could use these longer pieces to visualize the course and build your confidence of running at your goal race pace.

Make sure you are looking ahead as you would if you were outside running. There can be a tendency to stare at the console but that does not promote a tall, upright and strong body while you are running. Look ahead and think about how light your feet are and how quickly you are turning over your feet.

Decide how many you are going to do before you begin the workout and if you feel great during the last one then add another repeat if you'd like. However, you are running at a slower pace and so there is a tendency to over do it. Make sure you are not running all 6 of these if you have been doing the lower number of repetitions during the other weeks. If you've been doing the minimum then stick to the minimum and if you've been doing the highest number of repetitions then challenge yourself to do six.

Enjoy familiarizing your body to run at your goal pace. Relax, settle in and allow the treadmill to work for you.

Good luck with your 10k and keep up the treadmill workouts. They will help maintain good rhythm, cadence and allow you to measure your progress; have fun.

Thanks to Suzanne Weckend for her contribution to this piece.