Runners- ? TM vs. road

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  • danimal5867
    danimal5867 Posts: 390
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    The easy answer for why it's easier to run faster outside compared to a treadmill is INERTIA! Once you get moving outside your body wants to stay in motion, therefore you expend less energy and the run feels easier and is faster. Treadmill running isn't actually moving. It's fine for some cardio work but the lack of inertia means you don't run nearly as fast.
  • jooonesy
    jooonesy Posts: 86 Member
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    Treadmills and I don't get along. They make my shins hurt and I feel restricted because of the bars on each side of you and the short length of the belt makes me shorten my stride. Ok, enough complaining... I prefer running outdoors not only because its pretty much the opposite of my complaints, but it's mentally stimulating. Seeing things go on around me while I run sometimes makes me forget how far or how fast I've run. Running on a treadmill, staring at the same wall, no ventilation/airflow (mostly because my gym keeps their thermostat at 73 degrees) makes it feel like an unproductive run.
  • nolakris
    nolakris Posts: 98 Member
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    There's a reason a friend of mine renamed it the "dreadmill." I hate running on one and much prefer to run outside. I thought I was just weird not being able to run as far on a TM as I can outdoors. Someone mentioned gyms are warmer and air doesn't move much in the winter in the gym. I'd never thought about that, but it's a good point. Unfortunately, living in Boston, sometimes the TM is the only option in the winter months.
    Thankfully, the clocks change this weekend. More daylight in the evening hours to run!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I can run a 5k at about an 8 minute mile pace. I can't run more than 3 minutes straight at that pace on a treadmill. But I think that's the problem for me: running the EXACT pace for x amount of time. It's natural to run a little faster and a little slower and a little faster and a little slower. If I look at my pace graph on Runkeeper, it looks like a frickin' EKG.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
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    Running on a treadmill makes me feel hatred towards other human beings. Running outside is freedom man... freedom. AMURRICA.

    ^^This. :laugh: Just remember to keep your breathing even on your runs...


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