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Try the Spine Race champion’s bonkers treadmill workout

In January, Great Britain’s Jack Scott, 29, clinched a record-breaking victory on the grueling 432-km Pennine Way, winning the Montane Winter Spine Race in 72 hours, 55 minutes and five seconds. After facing setbacks and physical challenges in the lead-up to the race, Scott was forced to go beyond conventional training methods to keep his body healthy and strong, and he shared his training secrets in a blog post with his sponsor, Inov8—revealing a bonkers treadmill workout that played a pivotal role in his success.

Scott’s extraordinary achievement not only eclipsed fellow Brit Damian Hall’s previous men’s record of 84 hours, 36 minutes, and 24 seconds; it also surpassed the overall best set by Jasmin Paris in 2019 (by more than 10 hours), a record considered by many to be unbeatable. Here’s how the ultra runner achieved the impossible.

Training challenges

Scott encountered unexpected obstacles during his final preparations for the 2024 Spine Race. Battling fatigue, IT band issues and a series of daily discomforts, he found himself unable to execute his training plan as desired. Scott strategically adapted his approach, incorporating longer days out on the course with a structured gym program and a distinctive treadmill workout.

Scott’s treadmill routine, aptly named “The Uphill Treadmill Power Hour,” proved to be a game-changer. With a short warm-up preceding an hour-long ascent on the treadmill set at a staggering 25 per cent incline, Scott gained between 1,375 and 1,525m of elevation. During this intense session, he varied his pace, ranging from 5.4 kph to 7.2 kph, and covering a distance of no more than 6 km total. The average pace across all of Scott’s sessions remained around 10 minutes per kilometer.

Maximum effect with minimal mileage

The uniqueness of this workout lies in its efficiency. “What I was doing here was working at Spine Race pace but also exploring a very high-intensity session for my heart and lungs (my heart rate would easily be above 175 [bpm] for 50 minutes during a session like this),” said Scott. This approach allowed him to maintain fitness and train race-specifically, all while keeping the mileage low and manageable.

Scott emphasized the session’s effectiveness in maximizing elevation gains without placing undue stress on his body. The treadmill power hours became a crucial component of his preparation, enabling him to adapt to the challenges of the Spine Race course and the unpredictable conditions he would face.

Try it at home

While most of us aren’t training for a challenge quite as tough as the Spine Race, we can still adapt Scott’s approach to help us crush our race goals. Try tweaking the workout to fit the length of time you have available, and your ability.

Warm up with a 10-minute brisk walk or easy jog.

Crank up the incline on your treadmill, adjusting it until you find a sweet spot—you should feel as though you are putting out a hard, leg-burning effort, but you should still feel comfortable and safe on the treadmill, and as though you can sustain your output for at least fifteen minutes.

Cool down with 10 minutes of very easy running or walking.

For regular runners seeking to inject innovation into their training routines, Scott’s power hour offers a fresh perspective, combining elevation-focused workouts with interval training to enhance race-specific fitness without overloading with excessive mileage.