Review: Wahoo Kickr Run Treadmill

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

There is a paddle on the right that lets you adjust speed and one on the left to adjust incline, but I usually just left the incline flat and pressed the RunFree button on the right side of the unit. This mode is the most unique part about the Kickr Run, and also one of the most perplexing at first.

It tracks where you are on the treadmill using sensors in the footbed that take readings many times per second. Speed up your pace and move forward on the treadmill and it will speed up to match you. Slow down and lower your pace and it will slow down the treadmill. It’s a delicate dance that takes a few sessions to get fully used to, but one that makes running feel more fluid (and causes you to check your data less often) once you get the hang of it.

Much like taking a quick recovery jog outside, I really enjoyed just hopping on the Kickr Run and getting going without having to plan specific paces or intervals; I have become more into just listening to my body when running in the past few years, and I find that it’s a nice change of pace to not have to think about pace when running indoors.

On the Go

Photograph: Parker Hall

I did pair it up with Zwift for a couple of virtual runs, but to be honest, I didn’t really find the ecosystem better than just running on a treadmill and watching whatever I was binging lately on Netflix on my phone or laptop.

The Wahoo app gives you all the data you could possibly need when it comes to running stats. Splits, heart rate (if you have a compatible monitor), and more are all available in the app, which pairs to the Kickr Run. I paired it with my Android phone, and it worked well to track everything I needed. I also liked that I could just keep it running in the background, so I didn’t have to actually look at the screen when I was in RunFree mode.

Physically, this is one of the better-feeling and more well-made treadmills that I’ve ever used. It’s not quite as solid as the true professional-grade units you might find in a high-end gym, but as far as home units, this thing feels rock solid, and the footbed is truly top-notch. The rubber material that you run on is soft but not trampoline-like, and it didn’t wear on my shins or joints like some lower-end treadmills can after miles and miles, though obviously form has more to do with that than anything.

Courtesy of Wahoo Fitness

This is very clearly a treadmill for real runners who do real training—I am very much a weekend warrior right now, with a 1-year-old at home, so it definitely was a bit beyond my pay grade for the moment. That said, in the days when I would squeeze in a 5K during my lunch hour and a few 10-mile-plus runs on weekends, I would have really appreciated how well made and easy to use this treadmill is for frequent runs. Two large bottle holders pair well with the large, flat, rubberized surface in front to give you plenty of storage for food and drinks, and the 4-minute-mile maximum speed means that even hardcore runners won’t find their speed limit. If you would normally spend a ton of money on a fancy gym membership to just use the high-end treadmills, this might be a good choice.

Then again, if you’re in the market for a home treadmill, there are a lot of great options to consider. I’m sure there are folks who don’t want to spend this much money without getting a screen or free subscription with the device, but if you like to hop on a treadmill and run without thinking about pace, this is for you. There are cheaper models, but I’m not aware of any others that allow you to run free.