Runners

hand level; the acceleration and decelerationare almost instantaneous. The huge screenis positioned so that as you run along with,say, master instructor Rebecca Kennedy, youactually make eye contact with her. And shewith you! You’re logged in and leaderboarded,so there’s a decent chance she’ll call out yourname for encouragement right as she’s staringat one of six cameras capturing her everymovement. And if not your name, then that``````of one of the hundreds, or even thousands,taking the class virtually alongside you.If you love group classes (particularly thosethat mix running and strength-training) andif you crave the control a treadmill offers,you won’t find a slicker, more sophisticatedsystem than the Peloton Tread. It’s like goingto a gorgeous, hip New York City gym in the``````JULY 2018 RUNNER’S WORLD 21PHOTOGRAPH BY GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES“Anintegratedtouchscreen``````lets you runanywhere,``````on everycontinent.”### APPSStudioUS$14.99 (R185) for month-to-month membership (includesone-week free trial), or $99.99(R1 245) for one year (R105 permonth, includes two-week freetrial). Available for iOS in theApp Store. studio.live for moreinformation.``````Zwift Runfree, available for iOS, Mac,Apple TV, and PC. zwift.com formore information.### MACHINESPeloton Tread $3 995 (R49 750)plus shipping and $39 (R485)per month for unlimited liveclasses. Available spring 2018.onepeloton.com/tread for moreinformation.``````NordicTrack X 2 2 iIncline Trainer$2 999(R37 350) plus shipping andassembly, and $39 (R485)per month after the first yearfor iFit subscription. Availablenow. nordictrack.com for moreinformationTURN UP YOUR TREAD GAMEme – a 60km-a-week outdoor runner – thattreadmills are not 100 per cent evil.Studio was a model for how these systemsgenerally work. You choose a workout – say,a twice-daily live class, or one of dozensof pre-recorded classes, from Hip HopIntervals to Walk It Out. You sync a device(in Studio’s case, only the Apple Watch,although certain Life Fitness treadmills letyou log in directly to Studio). And then yourun, manually adjusting speed and inclineaccording to the instructor’s cues andcomparing your performance with otherrunners on the dynamic leaderboard.Studio was also the system I’m most likelyto keep. Affordable and portable; I couldeven imagine using it outside, perhaps takingBeast Mode to the local track. To monitor myperformance, though, I’d still need to investin an Apple Watch as well.Zwift, however, syncs with both Bluetooth-connected treadmills and any performance-tracking Bluetooth foot pod that clips to yourshoe. The programme animates a little avatarthrough a computer-generated landscapeon your phone, tablet, or computer screento keep pace with you. Zwift, a favorite ofcyclists, may be the most creative running appI’ve seen: my test run took my avatar 4.3kmaround a volcanic island, complete withlava flows and dark tunnels, in the fictionalrealm of Watopia. This, truly, is what I wantwhen I’m on a treadmill – to pretend I’msomewhere else entirely.Unfortunately, as a mobile app, Zwift isa mess. The display is cluttered. The fontsare tiny. I could barely make anything out,particularly with the phone resting beloweye level on the treadmill’s console. ShouldI run faster? More slowly? Alter the incline?I just couldn’t see, and there were no audiocues, either. (Zwift recommends an iPad.)Worse, I needed to download a separate app,Zwift Companion, to control my settings andgoals, register for events, and even view myprevious runs. The Companion app isn’tessential, but it all felt overly complicatedfor the inherently simple act of running. Forthe moment, at least, Zwift is free.The Peloton Tread is decidedly not free.This treadmill, the successor to Peloton’shugely popular indoor bike, will cost $3 995(R49 750) when it’s officially released laterthis year, not counting probable shipping coststo SA; and not including the R485-a-monthsubscription you’ll need for live classes. Butthis is one beautifully engineered machine.The 59-slat tread is stable and supportive. Youcontrol speed and incline by flicking dials at``````comfort of your own home.Me, I want running to take me away fromNew York. For that, there’s the R37  350(plus shipping) NordicTrack X22i. Like thePeloton, it has a big integrated touchscreenthat lets you run anywhere, whether bydrawing your own route on Google Maps(hello, Kabul!) or choosing real-world iFitGlobeTrek video routes shot in 4K HD onevery continent (hello, Antarctica!). I’d neverbeen to Utah, so I followed coach JonnieGale for five kays through stunning RedRock Canyon. With every hill, the treadmillautomatically inclined or declined to matchthe terrain, and with every 90-second sprint,it sped up without my having to do anythingbut push my pace and admire the scenery.This was bliss...Well, almost. The hardware, I noticed,wasn’t quite up to the level of the software.Changes in speed and incline weren’t assnappy as on the Peloton, and the 22-inchscreen was not only positioned too low(remember ‘Chin up, chin up!’?), it was alsofrustratingly grainy, despite being HD.By the time I got off the treadmill, I’dcome to a sweaty conclusion. Yes, treadmillsare a hell of a lot better than they used tobe, and if you need one – because yourwinters are long, your streets are crowded,or you have to cram in a few intervals beforepacking lunch for the kids – Studio, Peloton,and NordicTrack can keep you happyindeed. (Sorry, Zwift.) Me, I’m not ready tofully come in from the cold (and heat, andrain). But when I’m forced to, now I know Ihave options.