Outdoor runners

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nogreenthumb
nogreenthumb Posts: 96
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I've ran both indoors and outdoors, and for obvious reasons, I find outdoor running a lot more challenging. I think for starters, it's more difficult to control your pace, well at least it is for me. When I'm on the treadmill, I set it at 5.6 or whatever, and know that's my steady pace. Outdoors, I feel like I start off way too quickly or try and maintain a pace that is too fast because I can't gauge it.

Secondly...the weather. I have no problem with this, and I think it might be exciting to run in the rain/snow/sleet/ice/etc. I'm bored with running inside. I want a change. Plus, I live in an area that is runner-friendly, and there's so many beautiful paths.

So I guess my question is, how do you pace yourself if you are used to running on the treadmill? I can never get it quite right.

Thanks,

L.

Replies

  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
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    There are some great treadmill workouts off of Runner's World. com, Shape, and Self. A lot of websites recommend starting off with a warm up, like a steady jog, before progressing into a steady run/sprints, before cooling down. You might consider interval training or fartlek workouts.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
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    You can create a playlist with a specific bpm, it'll help keep you on pace.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    How do I pace myself? With a heart rate monitor
  • beachgirl172723
    beachgirl172723 Posts: 151 Member
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    Runkeeper app
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    You can use a heart rate monitor or music set to a certain beat.

    I've never run on a treadmill, and have always run by "feel". The more you run outside, the more you'll get used to sensing what certain paces feel like in terms of your effort. Weather (temps, humidity) will affect your pacing, also.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    So I guess my question is, how do you pace yourself if you are used to running on the treadmill? I can never get it quite right.

    Experience.

    Or using audio cues from Runkeeper or Endomondo. Or Use a Garmin watch.
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
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    A GPS watch will keep track of pace for you, but you can also use the conversational test. Simply put: easy paced runs are done at a pace where you can hold a conversation with someone. up the intensity, and you are less able to speak in full sentences without gasping between words. You can check runner's world for a ton of articles on this.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,671 Member
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    Garmin. You can either check every once in a while, or you can set it to alert you if you get above/ below a preset pace.

    Although it's best to go by feel anyways, unless you're training for something specific. I tend to get to caught up in what my pace is rather than just feeling it out. It can sometimes be a distraction.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
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    Have an audio app or watch that tells you frequently how fast you've been going. I have mine set at 0.5 mile intervals but used to have it set at 0.25 so that I could monitor my pace, heart rate, etc. and adjust accordingly.

    That said, it could be that you are actually physically fine running a bit faster than your treadmill pace, for a couple of reasons:

    1) I've always found it easier to run faster outside than on the treadmill. And when I say easier, I mean, it feels like less effort to sustain a faster run outside to me. So much more stimulating and invigorating.

    2) Treadmills are notoriously inaccurate. It might be that the pace you have set on a treadmill is actually much faster or slower than what it claims.
  • fairleee
    fairleee Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm assuming that you're using some sort of run tracking app? First point is, make sure you pause the tracker if you have to come to a stop (for example, if you're trying to cross a road and are waiting for cars). If you don't pause then that will throw off the metrics as it will count towards your run pace, even though you aren't running, and that can give a fair bit of variation - if on one day you go out for a 30 minute run, and spend one minute of that time waiting to cross a road, then that is going to give you a different pace to a day where you go for a 30 minute run and spend three minutes waiting to cross the road. If you aren't running, don't time it! Secondly, your pace outside will (as you say) vary quite naturally, but what I find is that I am quite consistent over my runs as a whole. Looking back over my run history for all the runs I have done over 5km, they have all come in at an average pace of 5:37/km-5:41/km. However, when I look at the pace of each individual kilometre in those runs, it varies a lot more - the fastest kilometre I have run was 5:04, whilst the slowest was 6:01. The reason why my overall pace stays so consistent is because I am aware of the average pace I usually do, and so can use that as a guide to let me know if I need to pick up the pace (particularly towards the end). So, at 5:40/km, I know that I should have done 2km by 11 minutes and 20 seconds, 3km by 17 minutes, 4km by 22 minutes 40 seconds etc. If I have got to 29 minutes and I haven't yet made 5km, that's a sign that I'll have to up the pace for the rest of the run, as I would usually hit 5km around the 28 minute 20 second mark.

    So my advice would be, make sure you're using a decent run-tracking app, pause the timer whenever you have to stop your run (if you need to - I mostly run around my town so often need to cross roads, but if you're more in the country that might not be an issue for you!), and do three runs or so to give you an idea of the kind of pace you would normally run. Once you know that, you can use that info to keep an eye on your pace simply by making sure you're making the kind of distance you would expect to make within a certain time. Also, once you have got to know your running routes a bit better, you can do things like use your music playlist as a guide - so, when I set out, I know that I should have reached a certain point by the third song on my playlist, and I know that if I'm a bit behind to put the pace up! Just figure out your own pace first, and then it isn't too hard to find feedback mechanisms to make sure you stick to it :)
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    So I guess my question is, how do you pace yourself if you are used to running on the treadmill? I can never get it quite right.

    Experience.

    Or using audio cues from Runkeeper or Endomondo. Or Use a Garmin watch.

    This.

    I started out strapping my phone to my arm and using Endomondo.

    In July I broke down and bought a Garmin watch.

    I personally can't keep pace running to music as some of my favorite songs are fast (therefore I run faster) and some of them are slower (therefore I slow down). I do listen to music sometimes on long runs, but I don't use it to keep pace. Others might be better at that than I am, though.
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
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    I just run as far as I can with the time I have available.... I have a Garmin so I can keep track of my miles, but when I'm out there I like hearing my feet hitting the trail, listening to my breathing, being aware of my heart rate... I try to keep the experience visceral, not technical....
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    The book Running On Air helped me figure out how to run by feel early on.

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