Full disclosure: I hate treadmills. There's no fresh air, no breathtaking views, no sense of freedom. Instead, I'm trapped inside a soulless gym surrounded by sweaty weightlifters breathing down my neck.
But like so many runners I know, StudioApp ads kept popping up on my social media channels, urging me to give the dreadmill another whirl. You can download the product to stream group exercise classes led by seasoned instructors from Flywheel, Orange Theory and SoulCycle.
I was intrigued. I love group exercise classes for yoga, cycling and barre but I've never actually enjoyed running with people. The idea of a group class that I could do solo at my leisure got my attention.
I don't own a treadmill, so I headed to my neighborhood gym to sign up for a trial membership. After listening to the saleswoman's spiel about why I should agree to pay them an exorbitant amount of money, I signed on the dotted line, unpacked my gym bag and headed for the main floor where, of course, I was surrounded by sweaty weightlifters everywhere I turned.
At this point, I only had an hour left until it was time to collect my four-year-old at preschool pick-up. So, I quickly laced up my running shoes, walked towards a row of treadmills and got down to business. I wasn't expecting much. I figured I would suffer through a quick run and get on with my life.
My first workout was with New York running coach Angie Knudsen. I was surprised to discover I actually worked up a pretty good sweat. Her cues were spot-on, and her cheerful words of encouragement were a nice change of pace from the robotic commands provided by other virtual coaches I've tried.
Each instructor tells you exactly what to do the moment you step on the treadmill. From interval training to climbing hills to increasing speed, you have a personal trainer in your ear cheering you on every step of the way. And (bonus!) there's always a range of options to choose from in each class depending on how you're feeling during your run.