Top Rated Treadmills for Avid Runners
Once you enter into the $2000 price range for a treadmill, you'll find pretty sturdy machines that are build for consistent use. Before you buy, you should decide on what features you're looking for. Most treadmills have Heart Rate monitors on the handles that are really meant for walkers. If knowing your heart rate is important to you, check if the treadmill you want comes with a heart monitor chest strap, which is more accurate and designed for runners.
Another important feature is the number of programs, combined with the incline percent. Variety is the spice of life, and for avid runners like yourself, changing up the programs you use is an important part of training. Some times adding in hills is required if you are training for a particular course.
In the end, you'll want to test the treadmill before you buy it. I recommend that you go down to your local fitness store, which could be Sears, Wal-mart or Costco, and try out the treadmills, and find one you like. Then come back to the net with the model number, and read up the reviews for that treadmill. Then you'll know what you like, and feel safe & confident about the biggest purchase you'll make in your running career.
Here's our collection of the top rated treadmills, based on the reviews from Treadmill Doctor, Consumer Reports (subscription based) and Runners World
- $2600 - Lifefitness T 35
- $2900 - Landice L7 Series Pro Sports Trainer
- $3500 - Precor M 9.33i
- $2900 - SportsArt 3110
- $4000 - True Z5.4
- $4700 - Nautilus T 7.18
If you want more reviews of the high end models, you should check out the review from Runners World, which has 6 reviews of treadmills over $3000.
