WTheck; Who said RUN outside!!!! Horrible..... :(

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Replies

  • DaBossLady24
    DaBossLady24 Posts: 556 Member
    In agreement with most people that have already commented... it does get better. I used to HATE running and we still have a love/hate relationship.

    Running outside as opposed to the treadmill shows you how vastly different your body reacts when there's not a belt helping to propel your legs as you run. Start off walking, jog a bit, and then slowly work your way up to running. As others said, check your gait, too!

    P.S. 5Ks are addicting... I'm already planning to train for a half and full marathon now for a bigger challenge. Clearly wouldn't have said this years ago lol :drinker:
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    Personally disagree, but that's me.

    I diagree as well.

    Me too.

    I'm way faster outside. Plus outside is less boring so I kind of forget that I'm running.
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    Personally disagree, but that's me.

    I diagree as well. I think having a machine set my speed is too much for me to handle. Outside I speed up and slow down a million times over depending on the hill, road condition, traffic, blah blah, blah..... I still maintin 11 minute miles overall but I can't do that pace steady for 3 miles. You will get used to the change and you will LOVE running outside! :bigsmile:

    I disagree as well with a caveat. I started running on a treadmill and still do frequently. I prefer the treadmill for quick runs during the week because its downstairs and I work from home. I live in a small neighborhood in the country and do not have access to more than 3-3.5 miles of safe roads to run on (my short runs are 5-6 miles now). In order to get to a safe place to run I have to drive a minimum of 15 minutes one way (my favorite place is 30 minutes away). During the week this is a PITA, but on the weekends is easy to squeeze in. To make the treadmill a bit less boring I have a TV close to it that is connected to my DVR. Figure I can be a couch potato while getting in a good run during the week.

    Its all about finding what you like. If you plan on running a 5k then you should definitely get used to running on trails and roads. There are things you won't learn on a treadmill that you will have to contend with outside (rocks, downhill slopes, dogs, tree branches, etc.). But its perfectly fine to have a treadmill be the bulk of your training.

    Good luck OP on your 5k!
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    When I started running, everything was by trial and error. I ran outside sometimes and did a fair amount of my initial running on a treadmill.

    But I had no idea what I was doing.

    I wish I had known about couch to 5K. My cardio could handle a run as long as a 5K but my body hurt and in fact I wound up injuring myself.

    Couch to 5K trains you up, not just your cardio, not just your feet but all your muscles and bones. I strongly recommend that you follow a Couch to 5K program if you want to start running. You'll be happy you did.

    Also go to a running store where they will watch you run and get fitted for a proper pair of running shoes that are appropriate to you and how you run. You'll be happy that you did.
  • JenMaselli
    JenMaselli Posts: 83 Member
    Also - it's so so important to have the right shoes. I injured myself moving off of the treadmill onto the road and the big error I made was not getting good running shoes first. Go somewhere like Fleet Feet or another running store where they know what they are doing and can check your gait and type of feet and get fitted for good shoes. Good luck!
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
    I find it much different, but it does get better. I never "started" on a treadmill. When I started running I chose the pavement since I knew that there would be more choices for places to run in the future. Now I can't use a treadmill. I've done it once or twice in bad weather but discovered that even the most miserable weather hurts me less than the most pleasant treadmill. I start to ache and cramp immediately any more.

    Everyone else has already named the cures. Shoes and gait. I started with bad shoes and suffered for it. With those shoes I hurt both MCL's, both ACL's, and the left Patellar ligament. Also sprained both ankles at different times and dealt with a lot of turf toe:). Yeah...I thought it was all "normal" after sitting on my *kitten* for 10 years. it is not.

    It took a long time to fix the damage i caused, but now I run 3 times a week, 3-4 miles a time with nearly no problems. I shouldn't really say nearly, because those "problems" would hurt whether I ran or not.

    The only other problem is what I ran into this morning. I should have realized that it would be an unusual run when I woke up and couldn't see out any window in my house through all the condensation!! 80 degrees at 148% humidity! Ever run through pea soup?
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    I don't necessarily agree. I prefer it now that I know how to pace myself. The first couple of times outside make sure you go really slooowwww and build up from there. My problem was always that I just ran too fast and then my lungs were to slow...

    Try again, look for a nice park or forest and shuffle at the beginning. You'll make progress fast.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    It gets better :)

    As others stated in previous posts, running outside is very different than on a threadmil. Much harder.

    You do get somewhat used to it eventually.


    Make sure you have good running shoes, good running form and hydrate well. This will help prevent injuries.
    I sadly went wild when I started running with bad form and horrible shoes, suffered from Shin splint and a runner's knee.
    I switched my shoes (have been using Vibram 5 fingers for almost a year) and it eliminated all pain I had.

    I now run 4-5 miles every other day and it feels great everytime :)
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Most people try to run too fast when they switch to outdoor running--slow your pace and it should get easier.

    When you use your treadmill, set the incline to 1.5-2 to better mimic outdoor running; that may help a little as well
  • 230137isntmyweight
    230137isntmyweight Posts: 256 Member
    Welcome to running!! And no running on a treadmill doesn't count. Make sure you have good shoes, good form, and start slow.
  • notenoughspeed
    notenoughspeed Posts: 290 Member
    When I first started running, I could barely run at 4.0MPH for 2 minutes before getting winded. My legs were sore as heck in the beginning, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.
  • erikasmith2013
    erikasmith2013 Posts: 104
    Wow....Thanks everyone! You guys have been MUCH nicer than in my other question post! Ufff...Anyways, I did go on a short walk/jog today during my lunch at work and the little bit I ran it felt good and NOT as terrible as yesterday! I am getting all this info you all are giving me and memorizing it... :)

    Thanks a ton!
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    Hello Everyone:

    So yesterday I received wonderful advice about doing a 5k in two months. Well a lot of people recommended that should start running lil by lil outside to get used to being out running. WOW!!!! That was the most excruciating pain. I felt like I was hunched over. The running and walking was painful. The running part was Terrible, I felt like that was my 1st time running in MY life! :(

    Is it always going to be like this? Today I woke up feeling like day 1 of working out, terribly sore and feeling like my knees and front of my legs were killing me!

    Suggestions?

    Thanks.

    It will get better. Running on a treadmill is easy compared to running even on flat ground. Part of the reason is because ground isn't perfectly flat like a treadmill you have to work all your stabilizer muscles to keep yourself upright, for them... this IS day one again. You can do this though, you'll get through it, stick to it... and make sure you stay hydrated!
  • jensenta3
    jensenta3 Posts: 179
    I promise it will get better. Just like with anything else, dedication and persistance is the key! You will actually come to LOVE running outside and your new name for the treadmill will be the DREADmill! Stick with it, push through the pain - but don't over do it. You will thank yourself in the long run!
  • Krista916
    Krista916 Posts: 258
    Once you get use to running outside you will perfer it. The treadmill propels your forward so it's easier. Outside you have to move yourself forward. I started on the treadmill and once I was running a mile on the TM, I decided to give it a shot outside and I almost died! I think I only made it about a half a mile and had to walk back home.

    I kept at it and it's so much better now. I actually attempted to use the treadmill on Mnday and my run was AWFUL because I am so use to running outside now.

    Give it time, take it slow, Pace yourself, and take a few days off inbetween runs if you need to.
  • minimeggy
    minimeggy Posts: 1
    It def gets better! Trust me. i was in the same boat. I used to run on the treadmill a lot and then decided to start running outside and man oh man was that a pain in my butt.. but it got easier. However, dont make the mistake i made. I started out running 3 miles. Then after only a week of that i felt like i could bump it up so i did...to 8 miles! I wanted to be Wonder Woman...my knees hurt soooo bad. Then i decided that i would take advil for the pain which resulted in an ulcer and just set me back all together. I would have been much better off only increasing by small amounts.
    Good luck!
  • DMicheleC
    DMicheleC Posts: 171 Member
    It will get better, honest. Try slowing your pace and try to run on softer ground, grass is better if you can. I started C25k and I certainly wasn't a runner, this week i managed to run two lots of 8 minutes in the heat and I loved it, I struggled running 1 1/2 minutes when I first started. Also check your shoes and how you land your feet, its better if you can land on the middle of your foot. Keep going don't loose faith you can do it, I'm on week 5 day 2 and i ran a mile in one of the 8 minute runs. So keep going.
  • acstansell
    acstansell Posts: 567 Member
    That's actually an normal feeling. When I was training C25k on a treadmill and then moved outside in the spring, it was essentially like I had to start over because my gait and the impact was so different.

    It gets better...
  • erikasmith2013
    erikasmith2013 Posts: 104
    And another thing you all keep telling me that I really need to take in consideration is to be patient. Bc that I don't have yet I need to be. I can't expect to be a runner overnight!
  • jljshoe1979
    jljshoe1979 Posts: 325 Member
    Had a couple more thoughts on running/walking outdoors that I thought might be helpful.

    1)Bug Spray- i'm a mosquito magnet and we have been having hot, humid, muggy, nasty, wet weather for way too long, so the bugs have been crazy (even bought mosquito repellent for the dogs so they could go out and do their business in peace without becoming little mosquito buffets). Anyway, I decided to use the repellent one day for a walk outside and it not only got the mosquitos to go away, but those little black gnats/flies that come after you when you've been outside disappeared too. After that, I decided to use the bug spray every time I went outside to workout. To date, I haven't hit myself one time in the face (yeah it happened multiple times, go ahead and laugh) trying to get rid of the bugs, so I wouldn't eat them.

    2)Exercising in the rain - like I said, it's been raining around here...normally, I try to work around it doing stuff inside (or well, using it as an excuse to not workout at all). One day, a week or two ago, it was drizzling (no thunder or lightening) and I was out in my garage with the door open. The temperature felt so good (it wasn't hot and the air didn't feel thick), I decided to go for a walk...that turned into a walk/run. Apart from my feet/shoes getting soaked - that was one of the more pleasant exercise days I've had, and I look forward to being able to do it again. Bottomline, if the air quality bothers you, but you want to try working out outside, try it in the rain...
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Hello Everyone:

    So yesterday I received wonderful advice about doing a 5k in two months. Well a lot of people recommended that should start running lil by lil outside to get used to being out running. WOW!!!! That was the most excruciating pain. I felt like I was hunched over. The running and walking was painful. The running part was Terrible, I felt like that was my 1st time running in MY life! :(

    Is it always going to be like this? Today I woke up feeling like day 1 of working out, terribly sore and feeling like my knees and front of my legs were killing me!

    Suggestions?

    Thanks.

    This is exactly why people told you to run outside. You have to actually deal with the same elements...wind, changes in temp, elevation changes, uneven surfaces, etc as you would during a real race. Training on a treadmill is akin to training with a machine for weight lifting...squatting on a machine is 100% different than squatting free.

    Yup! I trained for my first 5K almost exclusively on the dreadmill and by the 3rd km had excruciating shin splints. Unless the race is going to be on a treadmill you need to do at least part of your running outside to allow your body to acclimate to the differences.

    Slow down a bit but keep at it, it does get better.

    I trained almost exclusively on the treadmill for every 5K I ever ran, and was always faster on race day no matter how hard I tried on the treadmill. Always 23-24 min on the treadmill, and averaged 20:30-21:15 outside.

    I guess I'm a special snowflake.

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