Announced in January, the innovative Wahoo KICKR RUN treadmill is now available for pre-order and will be delivered in the fall.

The Wahoo KICKR RUN costs $4,999.99 and introduces novel features not currently offered by even the best treadmills. Particularly eye-catching is the RunFree mode, which allows you to increase or decrease your speed without touching a button; the treadmill adjusts its speed to your gait, creating a more realistic running experience.

This realism is further enhanced by the lateral tilt of the treadmill. The treadmill can be tilted sideways up to 1.5° to mimic the uneven surface of running outside, thereby exercising different muscles. The KICKR RUN also allows for up to 15% incline and up to 3% incline to simulate running downhill

. [The maximum speed is 15 mph (4 min 0 sec/mile), which is only found on the most expensive treadmill I have ever encountered (costing nearly $10,000, not $5,000), and it does not offer the innovative RunFree mode.

Like Wahoo's excellent cycling indoor trainers, the KICKR RUN easily connects to third-party apps such as Zwift, Training Peaks, and Wahoo's own training app.

Connected apps can automatically control the incline and descent of the treadmill, so if you are running an undulating route on Zwift, you can feel the ups and downs without having to fiddle with the treadmill controls.

As an obsessive runner who runs about 60-80 miles a week, I don't really enjoy the repetitive and unrealistic feel of indoor running and don't necessarily believe that treadmill workouts are giving me the training benefits I'm aiming for Wahoo KICKR RUN, I am hopeful that it will live up to my expectations of feeling more like I am running outdoors.

The Wahoo KICKR RUN will initially only be available in the U.S. and will expand to other regions in 2025. To secure a machine, a refundable $500 deposit must be paid, and once the machine is available, the balance must be paid within five days or a refund must be requested. A refund may also be requested at any time while waiting for the treadmill to become available.