Opinion - Treadmill running, do PR's count?

TMattP

Today due to bad weather and work commitments I had to do my usual out door run in the gym.

I felt pretty good so I ramped up the speed and I've run very close to my best ever 5K.

It feels cheap tho. I'm used to running outside in the elements with varying terrain. I do a Parkrun every weekend where I run my hardest and use that time as my yardstick to where I'm at.

I like to push myself but the thought of breaking my 5K PB in the gym upsets me.

Am I being too hard on myself? What do other people think?

engodwin

It counts... IMHO - You did the work. Might have been more difficult out doors with more uneven terrain but you did it! High Five.

liftnrunlikeagirl

I would not count it. I would take it as my treadmill 5K PB but not compare it to outside.

dbanks80

IMO I count treadmill run as my PB against treadmill. When outside i count PB when outside since for me it feels totally different and I am much faster on the TM than I am outside.

andysport1

2 different things, As others have said have 2 PB one for each discipline

TMattP

Strava doesn't track it either. FWIW.

JTick

I have treadmill PRs and "regular" PRs. I get extra excited when my regular PRs start beating my old treadmill PRs.

rybo

A treadmill PR, I did not know such a thing existed

andysport1

I used to use a treadmill for specific interval training only, I never did any PB tracking except how long I could run at 12mph (the max on our machine), I searched for years for a sensibly priced machine that would go quicker than 12mph by the time I found one I had got older and I couldn't run that fast anymore.

SonicDeathMonkey80

If you've raced the distance, yes. If you've trained it, no. Anyone can nail a low-threat training day, but hitting a race day is a different story. You just had a good day - leave it at that.

cootason

I would consider it an achievement to make it more challenging try increasing incline slightly when you do it next even a small increase makes it that much tougher. but as always real out door personal bests are still gold as you did it outside you still did 5 k tho so good onya.

glevinso

I don't know about a treadmill since you set the speed and are forced to run that speed until you hit stop. If you know you can PR based on your fitness and "force" it by setting the treadmill at that pace, minus just a little, I don't know if I personally would feel good about counting it.

As for running a PR during a training run, it may depend on circumstances. My personal experience with this is the half marathon. I have only ever run one open half marathon race and that was something like 7 years ago. I have done several half-Ironman races where there is a half marathon at the end. I am currently training for a full marathon in which I hope to BQ.

What PR do I count for that half marathon? The only time I ran it open? My latest half-Iron run split which is about 20 minutes faster than the open PR? Or the in-training half-marathon split I just let last week in the middle of my 18 mile training run that is a full 2.5 minutes faster than the fastest half-iron run split?

Personally I'll count the one I set last week that was inside a bigger training run, and if anyone ever asks I'll just say it outright that I set it in the middle of a run. I don't mind caveating it, since I always offer up what race I set my PRs as it is.

derekj222

depends...is your past PR on a flat course and no wind resistance, hills, factors that would slow you down...treadmill has no limits except incline and heat of the gym

cwolfman13

I could always go faster on a treadmill than I could outside...I'd personally just chalk it up to a good run but wouldn't count it as a PR.

davemunger

If you do treadmills a lot I would keep separate PRs for Treadmill and outdoors. Heck, runners already keep separate track and road PRs, not to mention trail / cross-country PRs. What's one more set?

JoRocka

SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »

If you've raced the distance, yes. If you've trained it, no. Anyone can nail a low-threat training day, but hitting a race day is a different story. You just had a good day - leave it at that.

this.

No_Finish_Line

i have very limited experince running, but felt that there was quite a difference between the treadmil and running out doors. even with hills i tend do go a little faster outdoors. idk, maybe i was just to chicken to turn up the treadmil speed. Personally i would keep a treadmill PR and an outdoor PR... or lets put it this way, i personally think you could probably do even better outdoors

omma_to_3

Well, considering I'm faster OUTSIDE than on a TM, I would be counting it! But, most people are faster indoors than out (I'm apparently just weird).

goanothermile

I only count races as PRs.

Training is just training. It is a benchmark to compare other training, but not a PR. I don't keep up with my training times that closely. I look at the general trend of pace. My outside pace is impacted by crossing lights, weaving around walkers, etc.

LoneWolfRunner

I don't keep track of PRs for anything... I just like to run and I struggle with guilt even logging any miles I do on a treadmill... I feel like I'm cheating. But that's just me and I'm probably wrong.

_Waffle_

No. That doesn't count. Treadmills don't always tell you the correct speed or distance covered. The effort needed to run on a treadmill isn't the same as running outside. You can keep a treadmill PR but don't compare it to outside PRs.