Transition from Treadmill to Outdoors

PaytraB

I was in The Running Room today looking for new shoes. Amid all the questions, it came up that I was making the transition from treadmill to outdoors and finding a big difference in my stamina/endurance.
The representative told me that in order to get the same workout on a treadmill as one would get outdoors, one needs to set the incline to "3".
That surprised me. I'd heard that to equal it out one should set the treadmill to "1". Huge difference. No wonder I'm having a hard time with outdoor jogging. That makes me feel better about my outdoor progress. I'll get there yet.
My treadmill workouts are done mainly on an incline of "1". I've been working at increasing that to "2" (and do so about 1/3 of my workout), with the occasional 3-5 minute sprints on inclines "3" and "4". At least I'm on the right track.

rduhlir

Most people take time to transition from treadmill to outdoors anyway. And to be honest, after a while running outside you will find it hard to go back to the treadmill during winter. This is actually very normal, and it is recommended to reduce mileage by 25% (weekly) to reduce the chance of injury. I honestly went from 0% incline to outside by trail running first and then I am now moving to pavement.

But, it doesn't matter what incline you put it at, you will still have issues with the transition. For one, the treadmill flexes with impact, and instead of using your feet to propel you forward, you simply keep up with the speed. When you run outside you actually have to push off forward with your foot to move you in the direction you want to go. Outside you also have wind resistance to deal with, and just environmental factors period.

I have been running outside for about a month and a half now and ran on the treadmill about a week and a half ago and found it to be a lot harder than I realized.

Take it slow. Allow your feet to become accustom to the ground. Outside is where you really will need to focus on your form. Take it slow and the transition will be easy.

PaytraB

Thanks!
I was just surprised at the incline required to "equalize" treadmill with the outdoors......and a bit relieved, too, because I was a bit disappointed in myself with my outdoor jogs. I am noticing improvement so I was sure it was a transition issue but the amount of "going backwards" came as a bit of a surprise for me.
What I really enjoy about jogging outdoors is the fresh air, the changing view and even the changing surfaces. I like meeting the people along the way and the smiles & greetings everyone has for each other. It's a wonderful community.
I purchased a pair of "real" running shoes yesterday (have been training with old cross trainers). They are so much lighter than my other shoes and it'll be interesting to see how they (I) do on my next run outdoors. I'm hoping for decent weather on Friday afternoon.

likitisplit

Three sounds excessive to me. Actually a "1" incline on a treadmill feels harder than the average work I'm doing outdoors. There's no easing off and picking up the pace, no attack. One thing that makes the treadmill easier for me is turning on a fan. I noticed today when I was running outside that part of the way I assess my speed/exertion is by the airflow over my body. Running in still air makes the run feel a little dead.