Limit on treadmill time?

I know this is an odd question since the only exercise on most cruises is an exercise in excess and laziness ... or maybe that's just MY cruises??? ;) LOL. Anyhow, I'll need to do my last long run before doing a half marathon the week after we get back from our cruise. I've NEVER stepped foot in the gym on the ship before. Do they limit treadmill time? My gym at home has a 30 minute limit during busy times. I'll need the treadmill for about 2 hours...just wondering what kind is problem that's going to cause. Thanks!

I have found some places that do set treadmills for 30 minutes. AND THEN THE TREADMILL SHUTS OFF!

Can you do 28 minutes, and shut the treadmill down and then start again after about a minute. (let the screen go to black) Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Of course if people are waiting, be courteous.

If nobody is waiting you should be able to use it for two hours but if others are waiting you should give it up.

Try very early in the morning

Oh yes, I would not continue if others are waiting. I'm a b!tch, but not THAT b!tchy. ;) At my gym I only continue past 30 minutes if there's another treadmill open. Just didn't know if there were auto shut-offs (as mentioned by the previous poster) or any gym wardens on the ship I'd have to deal with.

Good point about the timing. Early bird gets the treadmill longer. :)

The longest I've ever been on a treadmill is 80 minutes. I was bored to tears. I can't even imagine 2 hours.

I would use the outdoor track or split time between the track and the treadmill. Good luck with your 13.1.

The longest I've ever been on a treadmill is 80 minutes. I was bored to tears. I can't even imagine 2 hours.

 

I would use the outdoor track or split time between the track and the treadmill. Good luck with your 13.1.

Thanks Bill. It is definitely not my first choice and I rarely run indoors. I tried running on the track on the ship once but it was too humid for me. Maybe early morning would be better on the track for me. I often get up in the middle of the night to run here in the summer to beat the heat/humidity. BUT running in a circle is JUST as boring to me as running on the treadmill. ;)

When I was training for my half I woke up at 5am and ran out on the deck since it wasn't too humid and we weren't in port so the wind was still blowing, then I'd go down to the lido grab some water and then head to the gym (opens at 6am) and finish my run there.

Just know on the first two days of the cruise the treadmills are PACKED after that there is no one at the gym ever.

Also good to know the showers in the Spa are very large and have constant hot water wonderful to shower off after all that running.

You could also do sprints on the midship stairs if you want some variety in your training.

You could also try running plans websites to get running plans of where you are docked if you have someone to run with you.

I've just used the outdoor track on my last few cruises. Aside from walkers who insist on walking three wide I never had any issues early in the morning.

Only issue with the track is counting all the laps

The first sea day is the busiest in the mornings (at least in my experiences). Most exercisers get up in the morning and hit the gym to get it done before they move on with their days.

I would try to get up early and use the outdoor track. Don't worry about counting the laps, just focus on the time that it would normally take you to complete the run. Enjoy the cruise, and good luck to you on your HM! ;)

Just know on the first two days of the cruise the treadmills are PACKED after that there is no one at the gym ever.

 

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Have to watch for this on our next cruise

Early morning is always the busiest, if you have late dining and want to go around 4 or 5 you should be by yourself, but then that depends on the port times and if you are back.

I know this is an odd question since the only exercise on most cruises is an exercise in excess and laziness ... or maybe that's just MY cruises??? ;) LOL. Anyhow, I'll need to do my last long run before doing a half marathon the week after we get back from our cruise. I've NEVER stepped foot in the gym on the ship before. Do they limit treadmill time? My gym at home has a 30 minute limit during busy times. I'll need the treadmill for about 2 hours...just wondering what kind is problem that's going to cause. Thanks!

I'm one of the crazy people who loves to go to the gym on a ship. I used to go early, around 7:00-7:30 am, only to find just about every piece of equipment in use. I'm not patient about waiting, but I did. Once I got on a machine, more people would come and wait. The time limit was definitely needed. Then I tried going late in the afternoon, around 5:00. There were no more than a handful of people in the gym, and most of those were staff. My usual routine is now going before dinner so I can get in a good workout on the elliptical and treadmill and shower and be fresh as a daisy for our meal.

Moral of the story, if you go late in the day, you can use the treadmill for as long as your legs can carry you.

Enjoy.

I tried running 10k on the track on the Conquest and it was an exercise in frustration. The people walking 3 wide and blocking the path was one thing, but the people who were oblivious to the fact they were on a running track was something else.

If counting laps is a problem, you can use a combination of those hair elastic things my daughter uses. Start with 5 on 1 wrist and move one over after each lap. But I suspect anyone seriously training for a half will be using an interval timer and will run within no more than +/- 5 seconds per lap of that pace. At the end of the run you know your time and pace per lap, it is a simple math exercise to calculate the number of laps. In fact, you already know going in how long you plan to run, so you'll know you're at your target distance when you get to your target time, plus or minus no more than 1 or maybe 2 laps for any serious runner.

And if you have a GPS watch that renders a route map when you're done, use it. You'll get a really cool looking map, plus funny looking pace and distance charts (because you spend about half the time running in the direction of the ship's travel and half running against it).

Great suggestions everyone. Thanks!

I would just go based on time, no need to count laps, but some good ideas.

Is there a time on when you CAN'T access the track? I don't mind getting up early.

Maybe I'll solve my problem by switching to a half on the day after we get back, then I'll be tapering during the cruise week. Except I'll have to fly home and be racing the next day.

Ugh. Running is the worst! ;)

Track should always be open except for storms or very high winds

In answer to the OP there is a posted 30 minute time limit on the treadmills.

Great suggestions everyone. Thanks!

I would just go based on time, no need to count laps, but some good ideas.

 

Is there a time on when you CAN'T access the track? I don't mind getting up early.

 

Maybe I'll solve my problem by switching to a half on the day after we get back, then I'll be tapering during the cruise week. Except I'll have to fly home and be racing the next day.

 

Ugh. Running is the worst! ;)

The track is always open, but walkers are also up there surprisingly early.

I donate my treadmill time to you! I'm sure others here will too!:D

I know this is an odd question since the only exercise on most cruises is an exercise in excess and laziness ... or maybe that's just MY cruises??? ;) LOL. Anyhow, I'll need to do my last long run before doing a half marathon the week after we get back from our cruise. I've NEVER stepped foot in the gym on the ship before. Do they limit treadmill time? My gym at home has a 30 minute limit during busy times. I'll need the treadmill for about 2 hours...just wondering what kind is problem that's going to cause. Thanks!

Go during non busy hours and you will have no problem.

I have done a 10 miler on the running deck. (Approximate distance.....GPS is not very helpful on a moving ship.....though it did seem pretty accurate for the average.) Sometimes you need to remind people that this is an exercise track NOT a stand around and gab in a big group. They get the message after you pass a few times. That being said it can be BORNIG but not as boring as a dreadmill.

I have done a 10 miler on the running deck. (Approximate distance.....GPS is not very helpful on a moving ship.....though it did seem pretty accurate for the average.) Fortunately it was just a long run I needed before a half, not before a full. I can not imagine doing a 18-20 miler on deck. Ouch.

Sometimes you need to remind people that this is an exercise track NOT a stand around and gab in a big group. They get the message after you pass a few times, if they continue, just unapologetically plow through after being nice a few times.

That being said it can be BORNIG but not as boring as a dreadmill.

I agree it can

We find it varies on when you sail. Over spring break and other school holidays the treadmills are usually wide open early and late.

At the peak times the longest wait we encountered is 10 minutes. One note, most of the ships use Life Fitness equipment, and those machines have built in workouts for a 30 minute minimum run. My wife runs half's (sp) and she will get at least 10 in on sea days. The only trouble ever experienced was a guy being a jerk to my daughter about the age restrictions for the gym as she ran. After a careful explanation that she was 21, a college track athlete and marathoner he was the one that had a bad experience.

Running on deck isn't bad, but the curves seem to collect people. Usually we are up early enough so only the wayward passenger nursing a cup of coffee is all we need to worry about. I just don't like running in the wind that changes every time you cross to the other side of the ship.

GPS accuracy is based on your individual movement versus 12 geosynchronous satellites. The ship movement will log distance even if you stand still with the unit on. When you download the data it looks like you had a 19mph run. Congratulations!

Even on holiday week cruises the machines are usually wide open after noon or so. Our best workouts have been after a casual walk, breakfast, nap and then head to the treadmills.

That help?

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I never noticed a 30 minute limit on the treadmill but I usually only run about 60 minutes on my vacation runs. I tried running on the track and gave up after: people walking slowly more than two deep, the wind feeling as if I had windburn/pushed in every direction and the fact I could feel the ship moving, which was making me sick. lol I think if you are up early and explain to people what you're doing- more people will be apt to be okay with it. Or at least the people who do avid fitness routines would not care.

Good luck on your half. We plan it the opposite way. DH runs the half marathon and then we get on the cruise ship for some rest and recuperation. I know that he finds the gym the least crowded in the afternoon as others have said.

He also runs in some of the ports of call. He will run in Nassau to Atlantis and back. He also runs Grand Turk as well as a few other ports of call.