Thoughts about treadmills?

I have a love/hate relationship with my treadmill. My preference is to run or walk outside and enjoy the fresh air and change of scenery.

The only time I like using it is when the weather outside is under 30 degrees or icy. I've run two half marathons, both in spring and having the treadmill saved my *kitten* plenty of times and kept my training schedule on track.

meh....I use the treadmill in the morning because I won't run around the block with the kids alone sleeping. Works for me. I prefer trail running, hate running on the street - too hard on my knees. Like pp said, better than nothing, and it's all personal preference.

I have mixed views about treadmills. When I first started running, it was because I was bored of my normal routine at the gym and thought "I wonder how far I can run without dying?" and then became quickly addicted to trying to better myself. So, if they didn't exist, I don't think I would have ever started running.

The second reason I like them is because I use them to teach myself a new pace. I suck at pacing, I usually run far too fast so when I need to change pace, e.g. go from a 6min/km pace to 5:45/min pace, I do it on the treadmill for a bit because it forces you to run at one speed until it becomes a habit.

I also genuinely think treadmills are harder than outdoors running *runs to hide from the haters*. Before you all set fire to your pitchforks, let my explain why I think so:

1) When you run outside, you go up a hill (yuck) and then run back down it at some point (yaaaaaay!). However, on a treadmill, if you use the incline settings, you go up a hill (yuck) and then don't get the easy bit of running down it.
2) Treadmills are boring. Seriously, dull as dishwater. So, if you can motivate yourself to run on them, then you build mental endurance like nothing else.
3) It's always hotter in the gym without a breeze, even in the best air-conditioned of rooms, so again, it's harder to run.

However, those reasons are also the reasons I hate treadmills. So of course I would rather be outside, but, when it's stupid-hot or icy outside, they are the only way I am getting a run in.

So yes, that's my love-hate relationships with treadmills. I realise I'm now going to be eaten alive by 'real runners' for saying that treadmills are harder, so I'm going to go and hide in a cupboard until you're all done...

I'm currently in week 5 of c25k and just started incorporating outdoor runs last week. Up until then, I was using the treadmill exclusively. I actually love the treadmill but was worried that if I trained exclusively on it, I'd get to race day and realize I couldn't run a 5k outdoors. So now my plan is to use both - the treadmill on days I need the convenience of having it at work, and outdoors on the days I have a little more time for my workout.

@mwyvr - Go Cougs! Agreed, and I'm very ready to see what Leach has for us this season. I'm going back for a couple games this year - absolutely can't wait for another season of Cougar football (even though they tend to be heartbreaking.)