Treadmill running vs outdoors
kia_runs
Posts: 77 Member
This is the first winter I trained on the treadmill. I ran a half marathon on Sunday and was stunned at how crappy I felt running outside. How do you deal with training indoors? I am worried now that my marathon is coming up soon (40 days). The weather seems to be breaking here on the east coast. I tried to run yesterday and it felt as if I never ran outside before. This experience is new to me. Typically, I don't have spring races so the winter is about maintenance...a few runs here and there. Any advice? Thanks for reading
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I find that after transitioning to outside running from treadmill running, it takes me about a week and a half to feel like I'm fully "back". Granted I've only been running for 3 years, but each winter I tend to hibernate on the treadmill.
The surfaces are different so it can take time for the legs to adjust- but to me treadmill running is just as good as running outside- so long as you have some time to transition before a race. Just give it some time and keep your runs steady until they feel easy and comfortable again.0 -
Are you running w the treadmill elevated? It helps to have it inclined at least 1%0
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carliekitty wrote: »Are you running w the treadmill elevated? It helps to have it inclined at least 1%
This
I had 1 outside run before a 5k this year. Surprisingly the 1% inclince kept it a decent run but I dreaded every moment of it.0 -
I have read that an incline of 0.5-1% helps to mimic natural ground conditions. The main thing I'd do is try to vary it up a little, because the impact of hard surfaces and any elevation in the course may make the race more challenging than training, and it could be harsher on your legs, especially if its a road race. I usually try and read up on the course type and then do training a bit more challenging than that.0
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I've been having the same problem; I always run with a slight elevation on the 'mill, but I think that there's no mimicking concrete when you're running on a belt on a machine. It's certainly an adjustment, but with 40 days til your marathon, I'm sure you'll do great!0
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Thanks! I did read about adjusting the incline. I did intervals at .5 as to not fall ( clumsy) tomorrow I will adjust it to 1. Thanks for the feedback0
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I've been running on the treadmill all winter (343mi out of my 458mi total for 2015 were on the treadmill) and every time I run outside it feels SO MUCH EASIER! Reading all of your comments, I think I might be the odd one?
And I don't run with any incline on my treadmill either since apparently it doesn't make a difference if you are running slower that 6:00 min/mi...
I say keep doing what you are doing and maybe transition outside on a cutback week? Or alternate outside/treadmill until you feel comfortable outside?
Good luck!0 -
Training2BeFast wrote: »I've been running on the treadmill all winter (343mi out of my 458mi total for 2015 were on the treadmill) and every time I run outside it feels SO MUCH EASIER! Reading all of you comments I might be the odd one?
Personally, I find running outside easier as well, because I can set my own pace without thinking about it, however we've had some really nasty wind lately that a couple months of treadmilling has not prepared me for! Ew, gross, nature & the elements, yuck!
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Last year, my last outdoor run was beginning of November. I ran indoors from November until March. In March, I ran outside for the first time in a half marathon. I PRed by 8 min cutting my time down from 1:41 to 1:33.. After that, I confinued running exclusivly on the treadmill & finished my marathon training in the end of March then ran my second outdoor run of the year PRed 16 min in the marathon & qualified for Boston.
Running inside does NOT mean losing fitness. Even this winter, I have trained 95% of my running on a treadmill & I've taken my half time down again by 4 min & 8 min off my marathon time.
Things I do to help:
1-keep mileage up/increase mileage
2- doing speed/tempo/long runs
3-using the inclines
I do think that a 1% incline is a close simulation to running on flat pavement outside. Treadmill does not have any wind.
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Training2BeFast wrote: »
And I don't run with any incline on my treadmill either since apparently it doesn't make a difference if you are running slower that 6:00 min/mi...
Good luck!I do think that a 1% incline is a close simulation to running on flat pavement outside. Treadmill does not have any wind.
I just want to clarify this.
You don't need to increase the incline on the treadmill to compensate for lack of wind resistance until you are running faster than about a 6:00 mile.
This was covered in Running Times based on a scientific study, not anecdotal evidence.
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Thanks Carson, good to know the science.
Also, long periods at a single elevation can stress your Achilles tendon and the tibialis anterior, the muscle along your shin that lifts your toes, which is a cause of shin splints.0 -
Josee, you are not an oddball. I also find running outside to be much easier.0
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CarsonRuns wrote: »Training2BeFast wrote: »
And I don't run with any incline on my treadmill either since apparently it doesn't make a difference if you are running slower that 6:00 min/mi...
Good luck!I do think that a 1% incline is a close simulation to running on flat pavement outside. Treadmill does not have any wind.
I just want to clarify this.
You don't need to increase the incline on the treadmill to compensate for lack of wind resistance until you are running faster than about a 6:00 mile.
This was covered in Running Times based on a scientific study, not anecdotal evidence.
We all know all my runs are sub 6 min pace haha just kidding ;-)..
I'd be interested to reading that article.
Prior to this winter, I avoided doing any sort of inclines of the treadmill because I'll admit I'm lazy lol. I know it had a negative impact on my transition to outdoor running last year. I thought adding inclines would really help the transition to outdoor running, but after this weekends half marathon performance, I will be the first to admit that even with the incline work on both easy runs & workouts, I am still not confident about tackling the hills at Boston and other races coming up. I think maybe I just hate hills0 -
I'd be interested to reading that article.
Victoria, I have tried on a number of occasions to locate that article on-line to on avail. It appeared in an issue probably 4ish years ago. At some university, they did the research with a couple different people on a treadmill. I can't remember where it was done, or by whom. The only think I remember is the piece of information that was vital to the entire article. Slower than 6:00 pace, no compensation for wind resistance necessary.
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Is that a 6:00 min/mile or 6:00 MPH?CarsonRuns wrote: »
I'd be interested to reading that article.
Victoria, I have tried on a number of occasions to locate that article on-line to on avail. It appeared in an issue probably 4ish years ago. At some university, they did the research with a couple different people on a treadmill. I can't remember where it was done, or by whom. The only think I remember is the piece of information that was vital to the entire article. Slower than 6:00 pace, no compensation for wind resistance necessary.
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lporter229 wrote: »
Is that a 6:00 min/mile or 6:00 MPH?CarsonRuns wrote: »
I'd be interested to reading that article.
Victoria, I have tried on a number of occasions to locate that article on-line to on avail. It appeared in an issue probably 4ish years ago. At some university, they did the research with a couple different people on a treadmill. I can't remember where it was done, or by whom. The only think I remember is the piece of information that was vital to the entire article. Slower than 6:00 pace, no compensation for wind resistance necessary.
6:00 mile.
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Training2BeFast wrote: »I've been running on the treadmill all winter (343mi out of my 458mi total for 2015 were on the treadmill) and every time I run outside it feels SO MUCH EASIER! Reading all of your comments, I think I might be the odd one?
And I don't run with any incline on my treadmill either since apparently it doesn't make a difference if you are running slower that 6:00 min/mi...
I say keep doing what you are doing and maybe transition outside on a cutback week? Or alternate outside/treadmill until you feel comfortable outside?
Good luck!
I run so much easier outside. The dreadmill just bums me out because I put forth more effort and get worse results. It may be partly mental, but I think it's just different for different people. I also have this idea that being short plays a role. I think my feet are hitting the mill more frequently per revolution than for the average person, and that the pace and other stats might not even be accurate for me. I'd be curious to try a mill where you can account for stride length.
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MountainMaggie wrote: »I also have this idea that being short plays a role. I think my feet are hitting the mill more frequently per revolution than for the average person, and that the pace and other stats might not even be accurate for me. I'd be curious to try a mill where you can account for stride length.
Sorry to disappoint you, but height isn't a factor here. There are elite runners from 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet tall and most will have a cadence, or turnover, that ranges between 175 and 185 steps per minute.
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CarsonRuns wrote: »MountainMaggie wrote: »I also have this idea that being short plays a role. I think my feet are hitting the mill more frequently per revolution than for the average person, and that the pace and other stats might not even be accurate for me. I'd be curious to try a mill where you can account for stride length.
Sorry to disappoint you, but height isn't a factor here. There are elite runners from 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet tall and most will have a cadence, or turnover, that ranges between 175 and 185 steps per minute.
Perhaps height is not the issue, but stride length definitely plays a role. At my job, it is crucial that I know my pace for very specific distances, such as 15 meters, 30 meters, etc., over a mile or two at a time. As an example, for most of my coworkers a 30 meter pace is about 33-35 steps. For me it is 44. Huge difference. I am absolutely taking more steps to reach each mile and this is proven on a daily basis.
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Well I have never run 6 mm in my life! I will dress appropiately and get out there. It definitelt was not easier for me to run the half Sunday after months of treadmill running.0
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MountainMaggie wrote: »CarsonRuns wrote: »MountainMaggie wrote: »I also have this idea that being short plays a role. I think my feet are hitting the mill more frequently per revolution than for the average person, and that the pace and other stats might not even be accurate for me. I'd be curious to try a mill where you can account for stride length.
Sorry to disappoint you, but height isn't a factor here. There are elite runners from 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet tall and most will have a cadence, or turnover, that ranges between 175 and 185 steps per minute.
Perhaps height is not the issue, but stride length definitely plays a role. At my job, it is crucial that I know my pace for very specific distances, such as 15 meters, 30 meters, etc., over a mile or two at a time. As an example, for most of my coworkers a 30 meter pace is about 33-35 steps. For me it is 44. Huge difference. I am absolutely taking more steps to reach each mile and this is proven on a daily basis.
Let's say your cadence is 180, or 3 steps per second. If it takes you 10 minutes to run a mile, that's 600 seconds, which would mean you took 108,000 steps to complete the mile.
If a 7 foot tall runner has the same cadence and ran the mile in the same 10 minutes, then the 7 footer would have taken the same 108,000 steps.
Right?
So, the factor that matters, is not height, or stride length, but pace which translates to time. The faster you run the mile, the fewer steps you take. The byproduct of that is that you have a longer distance covered per stride, or stride length.0 -
I really hate the dreadmill. I know my runs outside are far better than the ones on the dreadmill. I guess I get lost in the outdoors and loose track of time so the runs just seem shorter to me. I had to run a dreadmill when training since I was traveling and not familiar with the area. That 45 minute (that is all I could take) seemed so much longer than any 1/2 marathon or full that I have ever run.
I understand sometimes you just can't be outside. Good luck and glad you are getting outside again!0 -
CarsonRuns wrote: »MountainMaggie wrote: »CarsonRuns wrote: »MountainMaggie wrote: »I also have this idea that being short plays a role. I think my feet are hitting the mill more frequently per revolution than for the average person, and that the pace and other stats might not even be accurate for me. I'd be curious to try a mill where you can account for stride length.
Sorry to disappoint you, but height isn't a factor here. There are elite runners from 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet tall and most will have a cadence, or turnover, that ranges between 175 and 185 steps per minute.
Perhaps height is not the issue, but stride length definitely plays a role. At my job, it is crucial that I know my pace for very specific distances, such as 15 meters, 30 meters, etc., over a mile or two at a time. As an example, for most of my coworkers a 30 meter pace is about 33-35 steps. For me it is 44. Huge difference. I am absolutely taking more steps to reach each mile and this is proven on a daily basis.
Let's say your cadence is 180, or 3 steps per second. If it takes you 10 minutes to run a mile, that's 600 seconds, which would mean you took 108,000 steps to complete the mile.
If a 7 foot tall runner has the same cadence and ran the mile in the same 10 minutes, then the 7 footer would have taken the same 108,000 steps.
Right?
So, the factor that matters, is not height, or stride length, but pace which translates to time. The faster you run the mile, the fewer steps you take. The byproduct of that is that you have a longer distance covered per stride, or stride length.
I see what you mean about pace being pace, but if a 7 foot runner with long legs has the same cadence but a longer stride length, he will go a longer distance (on the road anyway) than me with the same number of steps, essentially having a better pace. If your cover 3 feet with one step, and I cover a foot and a half with one step, and we have the same cadence, you're going to get there before me.
I walk very fast, frequently leaving people in my dust at work, but am, as a measurable and frequently measured fact, taking more steps per mile than my coworkers. It simply takes me more steps to cover 30 meters (or a mile).
As for the dreadmill, it could very well all be mental. I hate that thing.0 -
I run outside no matter what.0
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SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
Good article. One interesting thing I take away though and the reason I raise the incline to 1.5 -2% is that the 'outdoors', at least for me, is never flat. I am going to try and get to the track this year but my usual runs are hilly and even the so-called flat areas have at least a 1% incline/decline.0 -
If I run on the treadmill, it just feels more comfortable at a slight incline than the 0% setting.0
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I think running outside is easier as well. The stimulation, varied surfaces, and momentum makes the time fly.
I hate the treadmill, but after running on it for a few weeks, I went outside running quite a bit faster, so I did something right, lol.
Probably doing 5 miles on the treadmill tonight to avoid running in snow. Normally, I would be all about the snowy run, but I don't want t slip and fall before my half in two weeks
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Being nice I went with the wife to the gym instead of going outside. That treadmill sucked *kitten* then after 45 minutes she was done, I still had more time lol. Today at lunch my 5 mile run was awesome. Cept the sidewalks, hate running on sidewalks0
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Training2BeFast wrote: »I've been running on the treadmill all winter (343mi out of my 458mi total for 2015 were on the treadmill) and every time I run outside it feels SO MUCH EASIER! Reading all of your comments, I think I might be the odd one?
And I don't run with any incline on my treadmill either since apparently it doesn't make a difference if you are running slower that 6:00 min/mi...
I say keep doing what you are doing and maybe transition outside on a cutback week? Or alternate outside/treadmill until you feel comfortable outside?
Good luck!
^^^^This. My mileage isn't quite as high though.0
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