Treadmill running vs outdoor

fivefootfitness
fivefootfitness Posts: 60
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I run a pretty slow mile outside, but it's improving quickly. I use a gps tracker and ran around a 13:30 mile.

I always suspected my treadmill (circa 1990) is miscalibrated, but I just tried to do a test mile to see if I've cut any more time

I ran at 4.4 mph for a quarter mile and had to stop. I was dying. It felt like when I run all out a 8 mph outdoors. I mean it's in a nice cool basement, but I was drenched in sweat and cramping, which doesn't even happen when I run too hard outside....I ended up sprint/walking a half mile in ten minutes and stopping. Also, I rested yesterday so muscle fatigue would be pretty recovered by today.

I can't be imagining this, can I???

Replies

  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
    It's just different, that's all. When I run inside on a track at the gym I can run for 100,00 miles and not get tired or winded. I can run 3 miles outside and I'm so tired.

    Did you use a gps tracker on the treadmill also or just use the treadmill's info?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I think that's weird...running on a treadmill is far easier for most people than running outdoors.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
    There's probably a lot of variation within manufacturers as well, based on the quality of the machine. I know that the Star Trac ones I use at my gym are pretty accurate when I use a 1% grade indoors versus running out doors. Or at least the indications I get from my HRM seem to indicate good correlation.
  • ftrobbie
    ftrobbie Posts: 1,017 Member
    Mark a line on it, measure the length of the belt for one revolution. Set it to a set slow speed, count the number of revolutions for a minute. Then do the mathematics. You will see how far out it is. If you can't do it just PM the data and I'll do it for you.
  • fooninie
    fooninie Posts: 291 Member
    I think that's weird...running on a treadmill is far easier for most people than running outdoors.

    ^This. running outside uses stabilizers and propelling motion. Treadmillls mostly take care of that for you (well, normally).
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    It could also be because, on the treadmill, you have to go the same pace continually whereas outside, your pace will vary. I mean, chances are you don't run exactly 4.4 mph every second of you run outside. You might be going 4 mph and then 4.8 mph and then 5.2 mph and so on but it averages out to 4.4 mph.
  • fivefootfitness
    fivefootfitness Posts: 60
    I did the math and got 2.88 mph when i tested it at "2.0"

    I may have been off on the length of the belt by a few inches, there's a plastic piece at the top so you can't see where it actually curves back under, but I think i was pretty close

    I don't know how to incorporate those numbers practically though. do i assume every speed is 1.44 what it says it is? That sounds too simple and I'm horrible with numbers. If that is the case, though, it would make sense. It would mean I was trying to run 6.3 mph....which I don't do unless I'm doing some sustained sprinting...
  • fivefootfitness
    fivefootfitness Posts: 60
    It could also be because, on the treadmill, you have to go the same pace continually whereas outside, your pace will vary. I mean, chances are you don't run exactly 4.4 mph every second of you run outside. You might be going 4 mph and then 4.8 mph and then 5.2 mph and so on but it averages out to 4.4 mph.

    right, but i average significantly lower without the same level of exertion
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Happened to me earlier this year. I joined a new gym and the treadmills seemed way harder. For a while I just assumed I was rationalizing my performance. Then I found a different treadmill brand at the same gym and it was more in line with what I had experienced at other gyms and outdoors. My guess is that it was either on a slight incline or just was under-reporting speed. I was getting winded at 5.2mph despite having run a half marathon steadily at 6.0mph and having no issue at 5.7 on the other gym's treadmill.

    Overall, though, I find running outdoors easier. There is something unnatural about my motion on a treadmill. I can't seem to engage the right muscles.
  • fivefootfitness
    fivefootfitness Posts: 60
    Fantastic, I'm glad I don't seem like I'm just try to blame my performance on the machine! I love running outdoors, but I like being able to maintain the speed I want (that is, on other treadmills at my gym, where I typically run at least above 5.0 mph). I get distracted outdoors and start running much too fast for me to maintain for long!

    Gee, I would have enjoyed getting into running so much more if I had known I wasn't actually running at a 2.5 mph pace when I started, ha.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    If it's an inexpensive treadmill that has a short deck, you may be altering your stride and arm-swing enough to drive you insane. When people suddenly need to shorten their stride, they tend to wast a lot of motion going up and down instead of forward, and you'd be taking many more steps per mile. And having to shorten your arm-swing can really throw you off as you end up fighting against it rather than having it propel and balance you.

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