20 October 2025
From road to treadmill: improve your winter running performance with Technogym Run
Discover expert tips for maximising your indoor workouts with Technogym Run and Technogym Bench, guided by Technogym Ambassador and performance coach Manni Ovola.
As the days get shorter, lots of runners start thinking about how to introduce treadmill sessions to their running routine. For Manni Ovola, founder of London's thriving LDN SLCT running community of 600+ members, the transition from road to treadmill is a great opportunity to work on technique, strength, and key sessions.
Manni recently led a performance-focused workshop at Technogym London, guiding runners through the art of indoor training using Technogym Run and Technogym Bench. The session combined elite coaching with cutting-edge technology to help runners train smarter, prevent injuries, and optimise their winter prep.
Manni recently led a performance-focused workshop at Technogym London, guiding runners through the art of indoor training using Technogym Run and Technogym Bench. The session combined elite coaching with cutting-edge technology to help runners train smarter, prevent injuries, and optimise their winter prep.
Staying connected with indoor training
Manni’s advice about keeping connected when you’re training indoors is practical: keep your routine consistent, mix outdoor and indoor runs, and use technology to stay accountable.
"The key thing is staying consistent, don't let winter be a reason to stop running”, said Manni. "Use the treadmill to keep a routine, stay connected with your community by doing the same sessions, using the app to sync with others and sharing your content."
Technogym Run Relive function, allows runners to replicate their favourite tracked outdoor routes captured in Technogym App, Strava, MapMyFitness, indoors as well as share their content, and stay motivated with plenty of training data.
One of the most useful aspects of treadmill training is the control it offers. Outdoor running means navigating busy streets in darkness, or dodging bad weather. Technogym Run brings your sessions inside and gives you the ultimate power over incline, speed, training content and much more.
Manni loves the Speed Shift feature, a feature to set up to three interval speeds which can be changed with one tap of the fast-track control, variable incline sessions that offer more control than outdoor hills, and the training programmes with structured interval sessions. But his favourite element is the live Biofeedback displayed on screen.
"Take a look at your step length and cadence data on Technogym Run," he said. "A study of 800 runners showed that average cadence is 164. If you're above or below this, you can use the biofeedback feature to improve your cadence which will boost your running performance and reduce injury risk."
The visual feedback on Technogym Run extends to foot strike analysis too. Using the track centre line on the belt, runners can see exactly where their foot is landing, which is useful for refining technique and preventing common issues like shin splints.
"The key thing is staying consistent, don't let winter be a reason to stop running”, said Manni. "Use the treadmill to keep a routine, stay connected with your community by doing the same sessions, using the app to sync with others and sharing your content."
Technogym Run Relive function, allows runners to replicate their favourite tracked outdoor routes captured in Technogym App, Strava, MapMyFitness, indoors as well as share their content, and stay motivated with plenty of training data.
One of the most useful aspects of treadmill training is the control it offers. Outdoor running means navigating busy streets in darkness, or dodging bad weather. Technogym Run brings your sessions inside and gives you the ultimate power over incline, speed, training content and much more.
Manni loves the Speed Shift feature, a feature to set up to three interval speeds which can be changed with one tap of the fast-track control, variable incline sessions that offer more control than outdoor hills, and the training programmes with structured interval sessions. But his favourite element is the live Biofeedback displayed on screen.
"Take a look at your step length and cadence data on Technogym Run," he said. "A study of 800 runners showed that average cadence is 164. If you're above or below this, you can use the biofeedback feature to improve your cadence which will boost your running performance and reduce injury risk."
The visual feedback on Technogym Run extends to foot strike analysis too. Using the track centre line on the belt, runners can see exactly where their foot is landing, which is useful for refining technique and preventing common issues like shin splints.
Manni’s 5 Top Features of Technogym Run
- SPEED SHIFT– a user-friendly, easy way to adjust speed up and down.
- RELIVE SYNC - replicate outdoor runs to keep continuity in your training.
- SLED – build speed, strength, and power with a mixture of pace and weight.
- INCLINE – much greater choice and faster control than hill training outdoors.
- LIVE BIOFEEDBACK – dig into the detail of step length, cadence, and more.
Building Strength to Run Stronger
For Manni, a physiotherapist by training, strength work is part of the bigger picture for injury-free running. Technogym Bench allows runners to do a variety of strength exercises that directly support running performance.
Manni’s recommendations include bodyweight step-ups for leg strength, adductor holds for hamstring health, and hamstring bridges. At home, Manni takes it further, using his Technogym Bench to do power-focused movements like depth jumps, single leg hops, and plyometric box jumps.
"People ask me how to get better at running," Manni said. "I remind them to do all elements of training, not just the bits they love. This includes your strength work. Exercises on Technogym Bench, and sled pushes on Technogym Run are both great ways to build strength and power.”
Manni’s recommendations include bodyweight step-ups for leg strength, adductor holds for hamstring health, and hamstring bridges. At home, Manni takes it further, using his Technogym Bench to do power-focused movements like depth jumps, single leg hops, and plyometric box jumps.
"People ask me how to get better at running," Manni said. "I remind them to do all elements of training, not just the bits they love. This includes your strength work. Exercises on Technogym Bench, and sled pushes on Technogym Run are both great ways to build strength and power.”
Manni’s top tips for treadmill training
- Always do 60-80% of what you feel capable of, leave something in the tank for tomorrow.
- Give yourself 8-10 sessions to get used to running on a treadmill before you push big sessions.
- Build your spatial awareness. Always be at arm’s length to the screen and be able to straddle the treadmill easily.
Indoor and outdoor training for race prep
For runners who are training for a race, Manni suggests a strategic approach to indoor and outdoor winter running. Long runs should be done outdoors to expose yourself to race-day conditions that can't be replicated on the treadmill. Reserve the treadmill for intervals, where the controlled environment eliminates the chaos of busy streets, and recovery runs, to get out of the cold which often tricks runners into going too fast.
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