Treadmill vs street

I'm only on a treadmill if it's too dark or the weather is horrible. But I don't find it nearly as challenging or interesting.

I'm not a runner, I only just started, literally a week ago, but I prefer the treadmill. I am not able to run for long periods of time (yet) so I need the treadmill to tell me when to go hard and when to walk. I use the interval setting and run for a set amount of time, and walk for a set amount of time. If I were running outdoors, I don't think I would have enough discipline to run the entire time I'm supposed to. The treadmill kind of MAKES me go as hard as I should. In time I would like to become a runner outside. But like mentioned by a few other people, I don't do outdoors too well right now, and I don't like running at night by myself. So the treadmill is best for me. To each their own though of course Good luck with whatever route you take!

Street......when you're 4-5 miles away from home, you have to make it back home.
Too easy to jump off the dreadmill. However, the main thing is to do something!

Although, in the treadmill's favor, you can use that when the weather's crummy.

Define "crummy". I'm sure my definition differs from yours, but here in the Baltimore area, I only had 4 crummy days last year in which I was forced onto the treadmill.

Crummy for me (although I'm not the person you're asking) is anything not between 45 and 65 degrees, any kind of precipitation, wind more than 10mph, snow/ice/mud on the roads, and/or the threat of any of the above during the time I expect to be outside. I hate nature-and i am outside more than in (although I don't have any of the normal resentful feelings towards my treadmill). I will say safety is a much bigger issue than weather where I am-and that will bring me inside faster than hurricane sandy did.

With those parameters, you might have gotten in a dozen or so runs outside here last year. :laugh:

I did update my post to say that I am a bit of a princess. I really am outside more than in....I'm willing to stretch the temp criteria depending on amount of sun & wind, but I'm not about to run in the rain or snow (I know-princess...). Frankly, flooding has brought me inside more than weather criteria in the last year. I am ambivalent to the treadmill vs outside-so it just doesn't bother me to be inside. I do make more of an effort to be outside if I'm planning to do a race in the near future-but otherwise, I really don't care (I know that's not normal).

You really, really, really should try running in the snow if you get the chance. There really is nothing more peaceful. A trail run with about 2 inches of soft powder on the ground with snow falling overhead is poetic. The snow dampens the world and everything becomes so still and peaceful that you can feel every sound around you.

Do you worry about slipping? Wear different shoes? We haven't had any snow yet, but I do want to keep running once it starts flying.

Just regular trail shoes. The soft snow gives way enough that you don't really have to worry about slipping on it. If you get on a steep section, just shorten up your stride.

Thanks! I don't currently have trail shoes - I just wear my regular running shoes when I hit the trails. Probably not a good plan for snow though.

Before my injury I personally preferred the treadmill. I found that the scenery outside was too interesting and distracting.

The treadmill keeps me at an even speed, I have a less chance of tripping (I'm a klutz).

I can use it any time of the day, any day of the week in any weather.

Some people watch TV while running, but I find that just as distracting as cars, houses and people.

I use the treadmill to read, which I can't do outside. For me, I would give myself "just X more pages and I can walk for a bit" and then after the X pages I would encourage myself to keep running another X pages. I guess that helped my endurance too, because in my mind I couldn't go to the end of the next block because it would look SO FAR AWAY!

Treadmill because outside you will get arrested for running naked.

But what about when there is no sunshine

Before my injury I personally preferred the treadmill. I found that the scenery outside was too interesting and distracting.

The treadmill keeps me at an even speed, I have a less chance of tripping (I'm a klutz).

I can use it any time of the day, any day of the week in any weather.

Some people watch TV while running, but I find that just as distracting as cars, houses and people.

I use the treadmill to read, which I can't do outside. For me, I would give myself "just X more pages and I can walk for a bit" and then after the X pages I would encourage myself to keep running another X pages. I guess that helped my endurance too, because in my mind I couldn't go to the end of the next block because it would look SO FAR AWAY!

How the heck do you read while running? I'd love to learn this trick because I have a ton of reading to do in law school and I can only manage speed walking at an incline or the stairs while reading.

But what about when there is no sunshine

You make your own.

So, I dont have to walk at an incline or anything to get the same benefit as walking on a trail?

Recommendation is 1-2% incline to make up for lack of wind resistance, etc.

Recent study conducted by Running Times showed that there is no compensation necessary for wind resistance until you are running sub 6:00 miles.

Really? That is good to know because whenever I use the incline on a treadmill I have a harder time with shin splints and asthma.

Yes, really.

Prefer treadmill in the dark - very relaxing.

Street. The treadmill is boring.

My definition of crummy is anything below zero degrees, solid layers of ice on the ground, snow so high that my work is cancelled, rain so hard that my basement is flooding, or winds so fast that there is an advisory. Anything else and I'm outside. They make clothes for that *kitten* and I like to shop!

And I should add that I prefer to run when it's dark and cold. I'm weird.

So, I dont have to walk at an incline or anything to get the same benefit as walking on a trail?

Recommendation is 1-2% incline to make up for lack of wind resistance, etc.

Recent study conducted by Running Times showed that there is no compensation necessary for wind resistance until you are running sub 6:00 miles.

Really? That is good to know because whenever I use the incline on a treadmill I have a harder time with shin splints and asthma.

I prefer outdoors but from about May to Mid-Sept use treadmill. Too hot on the surface of the sun and I can't get up at 4am to run.

Maybe that is why I was having shin splint problems... I was walking on a 3-5 incline.

Could be your shoes too. Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes that you get from a specialty running store. They will make sure you have the right shoe for your gait.

But what about when there is no sunshine

You make your own.

I don't feel safe running at night. Unless maybe at a well lit track. I have no sympathy for people who get mugged or knocked in the head running in dark desolate areas, especially in cities. You should know better.

I like to do intervals. I don't own a stop watch, so generally I do that on the treadmill. Longer runs for me are best outdoors, but again, but between the weather and limited daylight, I could never be an outdoors only runner.