Am I really running faster on the street?

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rileyes
rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am new to running and have been practicing form on the treadmill running at a pace of 5.4. I just mapped a couple of my street-runs from this past week and found I run faster (6.7) outside.

I actually feel as though I run slower outside. What's up with that?

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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I do the same thing. On a treadmill I typically pace myself at 5 or 5.5 mph. However, when I'm running on the track I end up going approx 6 to 6.5 mph. I've also noticed that I can run for longer on the treadmill and while it feels like I'm going slower on the track, I can't keep it up for very long.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
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    @shadow2soul The second mile comes easier if I can pass the first mile and get in a "zone". Music is my friend :) .

    There is another post that just went up stating the opposite: the poster said she runs faster on her treadmill than outside. Maybe my treadmill needs a tuneup?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited April 2015
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    rileyes wrote: »
    @shadow2soul The second mile comes easier if I can pass the first mile and get in a "zone". Music is my friend :) .

    There is another post that just went up stating the opposite: the poster said she runs faster on her treadmill than outside. Maybe my treadmill needs a tuneup?

    My debate is whether I need to slow down when on the track or if it's the fact that it takes 18 laps to make a mile that's messing with my head.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
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    Ahh--You must be on a basketball court. Four laps make a mile on a field track. Less counting. More listening to your music.
  • 1234usmc
    1234usmc Posts: 196 Member
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    I do the same thing. Not on purpose. That's why I like the tm for training so I can pace myself. I think it is easier to speed up outside. On the tm it feels like I am going to fall off when I get up to 7.5 or so.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    rileyes wrote: »
    Ahh--You must be on a basketball court. Four laps make a mile on a field track. Less counting. More listening to your music.

    Yep. It's above the basketball court at the gym. I had a really interesting run the other day when there was a youth volleyball game going. A few times the balls got high enough to make me wish I had picked the treadmill instead (about head level, but thankfully hit the polls supporting the track...there is a fence around the track but it's only about waist high).
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
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    @1234usmc I like the treadmill for training too. It helps me with getting to 180 steps per minute and I can watch my form in the mirror. And, yeah, my leash is broken and I fear one day...

    @shadow2soul You get in some dodge ball with your run too! ;)

    I just did the 2-mile run again at 6.7 (18 minutes). I noticed I forgot a block last time so I was running slower than 6.7. As soon as I noticed this I picked up the pace and made the same time. Yay! I'm trying new styles like Chi and Pose. They seem to give me more forward momentum--maybe helping to propel me a bit. ???
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    Treadmills account for speed by belt revolution. It doesn't take into consideration stride length. So for instance take someone at 6ft and someone at 5 ft and set the tread mill for say 5.5 speed. Both can run at that speed with the shorter person taking more steps in most cases. On the street, stride length makes a big difference in speed. The 6.0 person running the same step amount as the 5.0 person at will do it in a faster time if they are running the same distance.

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