You know that classic treadmill “rule” that refuses to die?
“If you are not running at 1 percent, you are cheating.” Let’s call it what it is: a half truth that turned into gospel.
The 1 percent thing came from lab testing trying to simulate air resistance for runners absolutely flying along at elite marathon pace. Great if you are hunting Olympic qualifying times on a belt. Not so relevant if you are a real human knocking out steady miles, bricks, or recovery runs after a long day at work.
So let’s have some fun and pull this apart. But first if you are looking for someone to take the mental energy out of training and help you reach your goals, book a free coaching consultation below to see what having a coach is all about.
It is that time of year where winter comes crashing in, the roads turn sketchy, and suddenly every triathlete you know becomes “best friends” with their treadmill. Long rides move to the trainer, podcasts get queued up, and you find yourself staring at that incline button wondering if you are a hero or an idiot for cranking it to 1 percent just because someone on the internet said so. Here is the thing, as triathletes we are already running on tired legs most of the time, so the goal right now is to get strong and durable indoors, not quietly add another injury risk just because the treadmill is judging you.
Why 0 percent is more than fine for most triathletes
You are already carrying fatigue
Most tri runs are stacked after swims and rides or in a solid week with tired legs. Cranking the incline by default just piles load onto already cooked calves and Achilles. Keeping the treadmill at 0 percent for most easy and steady runs lets you build run volume without tipping things toward shin pain, calf niggles, and Achilles issues.
Incline running is fantastic when you program it intentionally. It loads the calves, Achilles, and posterior chain hard, which is great for strength but also a fast way to overload them if every single run is tilted.
Cyclists and triathletes already ask a lot from those tissues. Defaulting to 1 percent every time quietly adds more stress than you think. Using 0 percent for most easy and steady runs lets you save that extra load for days where hills are actually the point.
Better control of form and cadence
Treadmills feel strange to begin with. Add unnecessary incline and a lot of athletes start leaning from the hips, overstriding, and smashing the front of the knee. At 0 percent it is much easier to focus on light, quick steps, landing under your body, and holding good posture, especially when you are working on cadence for long course racing.
At 0 percent, you can focus on:
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Relaxed posture, tall through the hips
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Light, quick steps instead of long, pounding ones
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Landing under your body instead of braking out front
If you are trying to work on cadence and smooth mechanics, keeping the deck flat makes it easier to feel what “right” is supposed to feel like.
So when should you touch the incline button?
Treat incline like any other training tool. Use it on purpose, not out of guilt.
Good times to keep it at 0 percent
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Easy aerobic runs
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Brick runs after the bike
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Technique work where you are playing with cadence and foot strike
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Long indoor runs where the goal is time on feet and mental toughness, not “harder at all costs”
Good times to add incline
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Hill workouts for strength and power
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Race specific prep for a hilly course
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Short blocks where you intentionally want extra muscular load on the legs
If you are an elite athlete doing very controlled work and you want to match outdoor tempo sessions to lab data, sure, use 1 percent. For almost everyone else, the difference is tiny. Your body cares way more about effort and time than the number on that incline icon.
How I frame this with athletes I coach
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Default to 0 percent
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Add incline when it has a clear purpose in the session
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Ignore the treadmill hero yelling that it “doesn’t count” unless it is at 1 percent
The goal is not to make every run as hard as possible. The goal is to make each run appropriate for what you are trying to get out of it.
Set the ego aside, set the incline to 0, and actually nail the session you were supposed to do.
The Takeway
You are not soft if your treadmill says 0 percent. You are smart.
Most of your gains come from boring, consistent work with good mechanics and sensible load. If the treadmill helps you get that done without wrecking your legs, it is doing its job.
So next time someone side eyes your 0 percent incline, just smile, nod, and keep running. You will still be getting fitter while they are arguing with the control panel.
And if you are unsure how to build those runs into a bigger plan, or you keep bouncing between “too easy” and “absolutely cooked,” that is where coaching helps. The right structure lets you use simple tools like a flat treadmill to build serious fitness without overthinking every button press.
Ready to transform potential into performance? Let’s talk, feel free to book a free consultation or shoot me an email at jennacaer@mna-coaching.com . Because in triathlon, as in life, there’s no reward without risk.