Treadmill broke

Gallaghergirl11

Hey All! The past few months I've been really good on running on a treadmill every morning. Now it broke and I tried running outside. It was so much harder! Any advice for a newbie runner, running outside in the cold? Or motivation?

pogiguy05

I know sometimes it is income that limits people, but can you find a small affordable gym to join? I have one around me that charges $15 a month. If you think about how much we have spent on fast foods a gym membership is not all that expensive. You dont have to maintain any equipment like the issue you have right now. I have not RUN outside since I was in the Army many years ago. Sorry dont have any advice there.

spiriteagle99

Running outside feels harder at first, but once you get used to it you may learn to enjoy the freedom you have outdoors. You run by feel, focusing on running slow and easy -- whatever pace that may be on that particular day. You get to enjoy the varied view, greet your neighbors, and breathe some fresh air. A TM is great when the weather is especially bad, but outdoors is so much better. If you can't afford to buy another TM, then a gym membership might work for you.

Philtex

A bit expensive but you might want a Garmin or other GPS watch. It might be harder outside because you are running at too fast a pace. The TM controls your pace and you just lost that. I use a basic model of Garmin that does not track heart rate and only displays two measurements at a time (I show pace and distance). A third display would be nice for elapsed time.

Aarjono

Run-walk intervals work for me.

BrianSharpe

Gallaghergirl11 wrote: »

Hey All! The past few months I've been really good on running on a treadmill every morning. Now it broke and I tried running outside. It was so much harder! Any advice for a newbie runner, running outside in the cold? Or motivation?

Try slowing down, running outside is a little harder as you're dealing with wind resistance, changes in terrain etc but, in my opinion, infinitely more enjoyable than running on a treadmill. I run outside all year 'round (and it occasionally gets down to -40 around here in winter) the trick is getting your clothing options down.

Layering can take a little trial and error as everyone has a different cold tolerance but you should feel a little chilly at the start of your run, if you don't chances are you're overdressed and may end up overheating. Do you have any local running groups? Quite often they can be a great resource for local conditions and a great way to keep up their running motivation (runners are surprisingly inclusive and most groups cater to runners of all experience levels)

Carl_Carlson

As young men we would occasionally use treadmills during the long winters to keep up our VO2 max and "make weight" prior to a competition. It was common knowledge to increase the treadmill's incline a little to approximate running on the roads so I understand that running outside seems harder. We were used to the ice, wind and wet weather but running with a companion made outdoor running seem easier.

RunsWithBees

The advice I always give to new runners: Get the C25K app to start out with. Also look up The Pose Method of Running or Chi Running to learn correct form so you don’t end up with injuries from incorrect form. Don’t try to go too fast right away, concentrate on getting your form down first, speed can come later. And have fun! Happy running!

stanmann571

Philtex wrote: »

A bit expensive but you might want a Garmin or other GPS watch. It might be harder outside because you are running at too fast a pace. The TM controls your pace and you just lost that. I use a basic model of Garmin that does not track heart rate and only displays two measurements at a time (I show pace and distance). A third display would be nice for elapsed time.

It's less expensive than a new treadmill

Gallaghergirl11

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your replies. Sadly there's only one gym in town and it's 60 dollars a month which is a bit more than I can afford

Thank you so much for the advice about pacing. That was at least a small part of the problem. I downloaded an app which is helping a bit to keep me more steady! But I will be going back from week 6 in C25K to maybe like 3 when I get used to outside.

Layering is a whole new thing to work on. I'm either freezing or burning. trying to find a happy medium.

klrenn

Gallaghergirl11 wrote: »

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your replies. Sadly there's only one gym in town and it's 60 dollars a month which is a bit more than I can afford

Thank you so much for the advice about pacing. That was at least a small part of the problem. I downloaded an app which is helping a bit to keep me more steady! But I will be going back from week 6 in C25K to maybe like 3 when I get used to outside.

Layering is a whole new thing to work on. I'm either freezing or burning. trying to find a happy medium.

When I run in the cold I dress as if it’s 10 degrees warmer...if I feel a bit cold at the start of the run, I don’t end up sweating my butt off by the end. Also, the right type of clothing is key. I stay away from cotton. I love wool when it’s really cold.

spiriteagle99

I assume 20 degrees warmer. You should be a bit cool at the start. If you are comfortable, then you will overheat.

CTcutie

Yup- there is no bad weather, just bad clothes :-) but stay off ice!!
Most of those clothes can be expensive but you can find deals all the time- thrift, eBay, online, clearance sections... It’s well worth the cost to have a top, an outer layer (light), pants/leggings, socks & hat & gloves. You will warm up in 5-10 minutes just fine.
**But do not wear black if out when it’s dark. I hate when I see people do this! SO unsafe!!**

CTcutie

Go to Runner’sWorld.com... they have a great page that will tell you what to wear based on several factors.

Purplebunnysarah

If you have to run in the dark make sure you get reflective gear. I go to work in the dark and get home in the dark this time of year (8.5 hours between sunrise & sunset and that will drop to about 6.5 hours over the next month). I run with a reflective vest, and also have an LED headlamp and armbands. Even with both I swear people try to hit me sometimes...