Best Treadmills For Running
Top 3 Runners Treadmills for 2013
Runners need a different class of treadmill. They put more stress on the machine – so they need a stronger motor, tougher deck, higher-grade cushioning and more commercial-grade construction.
Despite this, most buyers still don’t want to spend a fortune on a health club treadmill. But you don’t have to.
With this in mind, here are my picks for the top 3 treadmills for running for 2013 – all for under $2000.
These 3 picks give you more in terms of all of the above (better motors, cushioning, stronger decks, etc). Each one is a bit different but each one would be ideal for runners or runners’ families.
Best Treadmill for Running: Pick #1
[ Full Review ]
Nordictrack’s commercial series is built to be a lot tougher than their standard home treadmills.
And the Commercial 2450 outshines a lot of other treadmills here – both in the basics and the entertainment options.
You get a monster 4.2 HP motor to power the extra long 60″ belt (if you have a long belt and low motor power you can quickly burn out your motor).
You’ll be able to run at high speeds without feeling like the motor is straining to keep up with you.
Plus you also get some great crosstraining options – a 15% incline AND a 6% decline. This is great if you’re using the iFit LIVE to run trails all over the world – since the treadmill will incline and decline with the terrain.
You also get a built in 15″ TV situated at eye level (to reduce neck strain). Not in the mood to watch TV? No problem – why not surf the Net on your 10 inch color web browser? You can read emails, watch youtube videos, read the latest news and more.
Basically this is the runners treadmill to end all runners treadmills. Nordictrack has a few higher level “commercial” treadmills, but the 2450 comes in under $2000 and really gives you everything you need (and then some).
Click here for More on the Nordictrack 2450
Best Runners Treadmill: Pick #2
[ Full Review ]
This one isn’t as well known as others, however it was rated #1 by Health Magazine and recommended by Men’s Health.
It has some really unique features that you don’t find on other brands like the Intelli-step feature which actually counts the steps you take on the treadmill (so you can get your 5000 steps a day in).
It also has a cool safety feature – it senses when you’ve stopped stepping on the belt and stops the treadmill automatically.
The extra-long 60 inch belt will give you more room to stretch out and run. Plus you can upload your workout data to the online Lifespan Fitness club (free with your purchase) to track your workout progress over time.
The Lifespan TR4000 is also extremely heavy – which gives you an extra sturdy feel. While it doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles of the Nordictrack 2450 above, it’s still a fantastic runners treadmill coming in at a steal of a price.
Click here for more on the Lifespan TR4000.
Best Runners Treadmill: Pick #3
[ Full Review ]
Precor is known for making popular commercial grade treadmills. But what if you don’t want to spend $4000+ to buy a Precor?
Well now you can get a dressed down Precor treadmill for under $2000 – with the Precor 9.23.
The 9.23 comes with Stride Support to give you a more natural feeling run. The way this works is that the belt senses the changes in your stride velocity and adjusts the belt speed up to 57 times a second at 12 mph.
You may not actually feel it at the time – but a lot of people do notice over time that their run feels more “natural”.
You also get Ground Effects Cushioning which gives you more cushioning near the front of the belt where your foot hits the deck. And there’s a firmer surface near the rear where your foot pushes off.
While you don’t get very much in terms of workout programs (6) or console options, if you’re looking for a Precor for under $2000, the 9.23 is your treadmill.
Click here for more on the Precor 9.23
So those are my picks for 2013 for the best treadmills for running. If you want to review more treadmills that are appropriate for runners, be sure to check out the latest Runners Treadmill posts here.
