marathon training and treadmills

I personally don't find running outside more difficult. In fact, I find treadmill running more difficult mentally, and, I'm faster outside. I'm doing a half and have done all my training on the treadmill this year. Last year, I trained for a half all outside. I won't know for sure how I'll fare until I do my half, but I am not concerned at all about it.

I have a 10k in 5 weeks that i am getting ready for, but because of the cold icy weather I am stuck to the treadmill. I personally find it easier to run on a treadmill, but that is only because I run with no incline. Where as outside you get the hills or slight inclines throughout the run that tends to push you more. I probably will start doing a slight incline on the treadmill to mimic what I could encounter on race day.
Good on you for doing a half marathon I have thought about doing them but want to get through the 10k first.

I hate the treadmill with a passion (I probably need to get over that) but I have only had three or four long run days that I couldn't get outside and I did laps around the basketball court at the gym by me instead of hitting the treadmill. My husband had the kids there and they were playing in the middle so it was kind of a welcome distraction and provided a little change of scene I guess you could say. Even watching a tv show or movie just doesn't do it for me on the treadmill and I hate having to mess with it to change my pace. Next winter will be more interesting because that's when I'll hit the big miles as my Marathon will be next January. Right now I am at about a 1/2 level.

So... how much of your training do you do on a treadmill? I had been doing it all outside since October, but the last month has been freezing, icy, cold, wet and miserable. So I've been "treadmilling" it. I have 25 days until my half marathon, and hope it warms up soon....

We started out training for a full, but after illnesses and injuries we had to downgrade to a half... hence the training since October

I'm going to assume your home state as listed in your profile is no longer Texas? If it is Texas, suck it up cowgirl and get outside. Y'all are supposed to be the toughest state in the union, "Don't Mess with Texas," or something like that.

16 miles on the treadmill last week-end just about killed my last bit of sanity

I'm with you there LOL. I've only done up to 11 on the treadmill. Mind-numbingly boring. But, you've got to do what you've got to do!

I did a 15 miler on a treadmill a year and a half ago and nearly got cabin fever.

LOL um... uh... well...uh...no actual snow per se.... but we had frozen sleet and 300+ accidents in one day :-/

So.....that's one day......

I live up in the frozen north (well there are are people even farther north than me) and I've only used my treadmill a few times this winter (just after freezing rain storms) and my longest run ever on a TM was 10 miles which almost killed me with boredom.

There are, however, lots of runners who train primarily on treadmills (especially in winter) who are very good marathon and HM racers. If it keeps you moving it's good!

Any tips for staying warm in the below zero temps? I am in MN and it gets pretty cold here during the winter. I'm usually stuck using the treadmill but would prefer to be outside if I could stay somewhat warm.

Just your topic title sounds like torture. I can't imagine doing my long runs on a treadmill. I WALK on the treadmill on my rest days for a little bit.

Suck it up with the cold. I'm in southern Ohio and we've had plenty of freezing temperatures, ice and snow that make roads/sidewalks a little more difficult to run on, but you have to be flexible. If I know the roads will be clear by the afternoon, I'll leave my run until then. I sometimes have switched my long run from Saturday to Sunday because of heavy snow. It happens.

On the really cold days (below 0 up to about 10F), I wear 2 pairs of tights (the outer pair a thicker thermal pair), a thermal long-sleeve top, a wind resistant coat, a neck guard (which can go over my mouth and nose if it's that cold), hat, thermal headband and good thick gloves. I know this sounds like a lot, but these days a lot of the thermal wear for runners isn't really that heavy.

I am REALLY looking forward for a warm-up before my marathon in April!

Any tips for staying warm in the below zero temps? I am in MN and it gets pretty cold here during the winter. I'm usually stuck using the treadmill but would prefer to be outside if I could stay somewhat warm.

I'm in MN too and run outdoors about once a week (last year more but this winter has been brutal). Just dress warm and go, you will warm up in about 10 min. I wear tight base layer, running tights, thick long sleeve top, gloves with mittens over, neck watmer that pulls up over my mouth and nose, hat, and two socks

The coldest I've been crazy enough to run in was -32C (about -26F) and I had about a 2 inches of frost build up on my face mask by the time I got home (Picture in my profile).

I layered as much as I could while still trying to stay light, and I have yak tracks for traction aid.

As long as I don't need snowshoes/skis to get down the paths/sidewalks on my route I try to get outside for all my runs. I usually dress as though it is about 10 degrees warmer than what it actually is...so far I haven't been cold.