The Scoop:
I’m calling it: treadmill classes are totally having a moment… and I’m not complaining. As someone who does in fact refer to this machine as the dreadmill and refuses to do training runs on said dreadmill, I surprisingly love treadmill classes and think they are a great new addition to the fitness scene. One of the first things I did after activating my FitReserve membership was sign up for a class at Mile High Run Club which I had heard lots of great things about.
The Studio:
I didn’t spend much time in the locker room since I took class after work. From what I gathered it’s a tight squeeze but nicely set up with a few vanity mirrors and up to par with other boutique fitness studios as far as products go. There are also plenty of lockers right outside the classroom which is where I ended up stashing my stuff.
The classroom itself is spacious and kind of cool looking– it’s all white with colored lights as the only source of light. There’s 37 wood way treadmills. If you’ve never run on one of these bad boys you’re in for a treat. When it comes to treadmills they are the best you can get for a commercial gym and you definitely feel the difference. I wouldn’t go so far to say it’s like running on clouds (I’ll save that metaphor for the baller Alter-G treadmill) but it does absorb shock better than your average ‘mill.
Side note: the front desk staff was especially nice. Not that I usually encounter unfriendly front desk staff.
The Class:
Each treadmill has a “cheat sheet” with recommended speed for whatever fitness level you’re at. While MHRC is certainly trying to attract “serious” runners, I love that they still manage to make the class not intimidating to those who are not runners by nature. During class I stuck to a hybrid combo of recommended speed for joggers and a low key version of what they recommend for hardcore runners. Keep in mind I’m still getting back into running after a 8 month hiatus.
We started off with a dynamic stretch off the treadmill, something I’ve never seen in a treadmill class. Off to a great start in my opinion!
Next it was treadmill time for the 28 minute running interval workout. The thought of 28 minutes on a treadmill is pretty daunting if you ask me, but the constantly changing intervals and frequent form cues makes it anything but boring. One of the reasons I love treadmill classes, and MHRC in particular is I push myself SO much harder than if I was on the treadmill, at the gym, alone. I was rocking speeds like 8.0 MPH, say what?
Before the final stretch, we ended class with the strength training portion off the treadmills with kettlebells. This portion was a bit lackluster compared to the intensity on the treadmill. Since it’s less than 10 minutes it feels like an afterthought rather than an important proponent of the workout. If there Mile High can improve on anything it’s the meh kettle bell section at the end.
Class ended with a well deserved cool-down and stretch.
My instructor, Andia, was so freaken cool. It’s kind of a weird class to instruct since there’s not a whole lot of demo-ing going on for the bulk of the class. Andia was amazing about working the room, checking in on everyone, offering form correction and tips to each and every one of us, and giving us lots of energy to keep us going. The class was chock full of nuggets of wisdom about running such as what you should be feeling, what your feet should be doing, which is something I’ve never experienced during other treadmill classes.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to treadmill workouts I think Mile High Run Club caters to the true runners and people who are currently in training mode. Little things like a white board to list the race your training for or your running hero are a nice touch and makes the studio feel like a community of runners. I already signed up for my second class 🙂
The Deets:
28 E 4th Street (between Lafayette and Bowery)
New York, NY 10003
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