Ask any serious runner and they’ll tell you that treadmills are usually the bane of their existence. Alas, for folks who don’t live in Mediterranean climates, they’re a necessary winter evil that keeps us fitter in the off-season, but not necessarily happier.
The no-frills design of the Wahoo Kickr Run, plus a magical mode that allows it to track your pace without touching a button, is what makes it the most real-pavement-seeming treadmill I have ever run on. I’m admittedly 20 pounds heavier than I was when I was clocking 15-mile weekend runs routinely, but even though I’m somewhat past my prime at the moment, the freeing feeling of not having to pay attention to a steady (and often aspirational) pace makes this a more natural experience.
There are great treadmills with more screens, more integrated controls, and flashier gimmicks, but I’d argue that a good running experience trumps them all, and that’s exactly what this machine provides, so long as you can stomach the $7,000 price tag.
Run Your Rate
Photograph: Parker Hall
White-glove installation is definitely required for a machine of this size and weight (and expected at this cost), and two nice gentlemen had my review unit set up in less than an hour. That is, except for the power: While the company initially told me that a dedicated 15 to 20 amp circuit was required to run the machine, I wasn’t aware until after reading the manual that it needs to be an outlet without a GFCI installed. One trip from an electrician to remove a GFCI on my circuit and I was set up and ready to go.
The machine itself is shorter than what you might recognize from local gyms or previous personal treadmills, with two wheels in the front that allow for adjusting the grade and lateral tilt of the treadmill to emulate outdoor conditions. There is a big rubbery pad that can hold a laptop, cell phone, iPad, or whatever other distraction or interface you want when running.
The nicest thing about the simple minimalist interface of the Kickr Run is that it doesn’t explicitly tie you to one ecosystem or another; the treadmill runs through the Wahoo app, but it is compatible with Zwift, Kinomap, Humango, and Peloton, so you can pair it up with whatever fitness experience you want (or not).
Photograph: Parker Hall