Running on a treadmill vs outside

babecon
babecon Posts: 136 Member
edited December 24 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all, just wondering what your experiences have been comparing the two?
I'm still reasonably new to running and am building up my stamina, but I do find I can run for longer/with more consistency on a treadmill. Running in the park tends to have me slowing to a walk every few minutes :P
ktnxbai. X
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Replies

  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    outside will be better overall. treadmills do some of the work for you while outside it's all you. I personally prefer outside. I never got comfortable on a treadmill being big. 6'3, large frame and 2E wide 15 sized feet. I always felt like I would fall or trip. I know for some people treadmills have their place. like bad weather, shady neighborhood or it's simply more convenient like if you have little ones you need to stay at home for.
  • bbright423
    bbright423 Posts: 2
    I started running a few months ago and prefer outside. Although, I live in Hawaii so the weather is always nice and refreshing. I started with small goals like the couch to 5K and then eventually just took off running as long as I could without stopping. When I do stop for a breather, I only stop for a few seconds to a minute and take off again. This method works for me! I can run almost 4 miles now without stopping!! :) Good Luck!!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I do a mixture of both.. and so far prefer treadmill.

    I prefer the treadmill because I set it to a certain speed and just go.. plus it's inside the gym where it's air-conditioned :)

    Running outside isn't bad but in my neighborhood there are two running trails and thats it.. so unless I feel like really exploring my neighborhood, then the local lake it is for running.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
    Like someone else said, treadmill running is easier, because some of the work is being done for you. It is very common, when switching from treadmill to outside running, to feel as if all of a sudden you aren't as conditioned. You do need to scale back a bit on distance/speed when you start out on pavement, because your body is now working harder and you don't want to risk injury. But you will get used to outdoor running, and I bet once you do, you will never want to go back to the treadmill again. It's a much better work out, and when you start getting to longer distances being on a treadmill can get very boring!
  • Colbyandsage
    Colbyandsage Posts: 751 Member
    Personally, I would rather poke my eyes out than run on a treadmill. I have one downstairs collecting dust.:mad:

    I started with C25k last year outside and never went back to treadmill.
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    have to say i think the people who are sayin the treadmill does some of the work for you is complete BS! it is ME.....ALL ME running at 7mph! i started out running the streets of my town and couldn't keep the pace (no HRM, or GPS, or other) so i would go go go too fast burn out and have to walk a few. the treadmill keeps me at pace, my form is better, able to hold in my abs better and i'm more consistent!
    confused by those remarks.....aren't i the one picking my legs up to keep up with the treadmill? how does it do the work for me.....again BS:explode:
    funny thing i woke up late yesterday morning (usual workout time) and had to do my run at night. the family was watching tv so i got thrown outside to run....hated that run (burnt out) and was going to ask if anyone else had a preference. i think i would get back outside had i had the tools to keep me paced. and do admit it would take some practice to perfect the form outside! running is running either in or out........not easy! or everybody would be doing it! HAPPY RUNNING TO YOU ALL, whether in or out:flowerforyou:
  • jhardenbergh
    jhardenbergh Posts: 1,035 Member
    I love to run outside, I feel it's a better workout. I do use a treadmill though to warm up before a lifting workout or if I am in a hotel and don't know the area too well to map out a running route. I just can't stand treadmill running for more than 15 minutes, I feel like a hamster in one of those wheels. Also, I don't really trust the MPH on a treadmill. On the treadmills at my gym I feel they are about 1 mph off. I use my Nike GPS ap to map outdoor runs as well as track time
  • Maggie821
    Maggie821 Posts: 55 Member
    I do both, but tend to lean towards my treadmill because it's gentler on your body. That said, you need to be sure to challenge yourself on the treadmill, adding incline, doing intervals, etc. If you plan on doing any racing, you definitely want to get outside as well. I've run two HM's and did the majority of my training inside, but got outside for my longer practice runs. You will feel a huge difference - use a tracking program and a HRM if you have them so you can monitor how you are doing. Good luck and have fun!
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    Running on the treadmill is a little easier because the belt helps propel you (you don't have to push forward as much) but if you add a little incline it'll help simulate road running. However if you're just starting then don't worry too much, do what you can and build up your time / distance. It's a great workout whether you're on the treadmill or outsid.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I started off on the treadmill but made the transition to running outside when I decided to run my first 5K in 2009. Now I run outdoors all year 'round (the only thing guaranteed to keep me inside is freezing rain).

    Running outside is (for me) far more interesting and enjoyable, I'm lucky to have recreational paths that run along a river literally across the road from my house.

    The mechanics of running outside are different too. Treadmills tend to encourage a longer stride (you're on a moving belt) which promotes heel striking which is not considered good running form. When running outdoors, ideally, you want a shorter stride with a mid-foot strike which significantly reduces the chances of injuring yourself.

    Either way it's your choice. Stick with what you enjoy more.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    have to say i think the people who are sayin the treadmill does some of the work for you is complete BS! it is ME.....ALL ME running at 7mph! i started out running the streets of my town and couldn't keep the pace (no HRM, or GPS, or other) so i would go go go too fast burn out and have to walk a few. the treadmill keeps me at pace, my form is better, able to hold in my abs better and i'm more consistent!
    confused by those remarks.....aren't i the one picking my legs up to keep up with the treadmill? how does it do the work for me.....again BS:explode:
    funny thing i woke up late yesterday morning (usual workout time) and had to do my run at night. the family was watching tv so i got thrown outside to run....hated that run (burnt out) and was going to ask if anyone else had a preference. i think i would get back outside had i had the tools to keep me paced. and do admit it would take some practice to perfect the form outside! running is running either in or out........not easy! or everybody would be doing it! HAPPY RUNNING TO YOU ALL, whether in or out:flowerforyou:

    Have you had a look at the Garmin GPS / HRMs? They range in price from very affordable (Forerunner 305) to quite pricey (Forerunner 910) depending on what your needs are and have excellent software for logging your activities / results.

    I try to mix up distances / intensity during the week and use mine to monitor my pace.

    Another alternative is to find a more experienced running buddy to help you maintain your pace.
  • kat5556
    kat5556 Posts: 164 Member
    I'll throw in my vote for the treadmill! It is very hot and humid where I live and at 50 years old I don't handle the heat like I used to (but it's getting better since I've begun serious exercise). We also get a lot of afternoon / evening rain which is right when I can work out after working all day. The treadmill has been great for me. I can hop on, no matter the weather, and get moving. My area went through Tropical Storm Debby last week and she hung around for days. It would not have been safe to walk or run outside and with my treadmill, I never missed a day.

    I alternate walking fast and jogging and I've been able to track my improvements. I will incorporate jogging outside some when I feel my endurance has been built up. You'll have to do what is best for you but for me the treadmill has been great.
  • leightonsmommy
    leightonsmommy Posts: 10 Member
    I am part of a ladies running group, and we always run outside. However I also use the treadmill inbetween group sessions too. Although it is much harder i prefer the outdoor runs. I find the mix of terrain conditions me all over (one gravel path track we run makes my abs ache!), as well as different terrain you get different gradients, tree roots to dodge, puddles to avoid etc. I also find it much more relaxing if its a nice countryside run, so calming. I do however find the treadmill very useful for interval work, as by changing the speed around I have to run at that pace consistently, whereas when we do fartlek etc in group, I do find it hard to moderate my pace. At the end of the day, any running is better than no running, so do what works for you x
  • lciupa
    lciupa Posts: 48
    Personally, I would rather poke my eyes out than run on a treadmill. I have one downstairs collecting dust.:mad:

    I started with C25k last year outside and never went back to treadmill.

    yours is collecting dust? Dont you use it as a storage rack...or a clothes hanger?
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    have to say i think the people who are sayin the treadmill does some of the work for you is complete BS! it is ME.....ALL ME running at 7mph! i started out running the streets of my town and couldn't keep the pace (no HRM, or GPS, or other) so i would go go go too fast burn out and have to walk a few. the treadmill keeps me at pace, my form is better, able to hold in my abs better and i'm more consistent!
    confused by those remarks.....aren't i the one picking my legs up to keep up with the treadmill? how does it do the work for me.....again BS:explode:
    funny thing i woke up late yesterday morning (usual workout time) and had to do my run at night. the family was watching tv so i got thrown outside to run....hated that run (burnt out) and was going to ask if anyone else had a preference. i think i would get back outside had i had the tools to keep me paced. and do admit it would take some practice to perfect the form outside! running is running either in or out........not easy! or everybody would be doing it! HAPPY RUNNING TO YOU ALL, whether in or out:flowerforyou:

    Have you had a look at the Garmin GPS / HRMs? They range in price from very affordable (Forerunner 305) to quite pricey (Forerunner 910) depending on what your needs are and have excellent software for logging your activities / results.

    I try to mix up distances / intensity during the week and use mine to monitor my pace.

    Another alternative is to find a more experienced running buddy to help you maintain your pace.
    no i haven't looked into any GPS/hrm....because i'm a cheap *kitten*:laugh: want one hoping my hubby will get me one for my birthday! i do have a couple experienced running friends that can't keep the pace on their own, but they are more experienced than me, so i wouldn't be able to go at their pace anyway.... so treadmill it is for me for now! Thanks for your suggestion on the Garmin, at least i know the name of my dream now:flowerforyou:
  • momof3and3
    momof3and3 Posts: 656 Member
    I do both depending on the weather.

    Set you treadmill incline to 1% to simulate flat road, treadmills are actually on a slight downhill at 0% incline. That is one of the reasons people have a hard time adjusting to running outside after running on a treadmill.

    Running outside, I tend to go too fast initially, so make sure you slow yourself down until you get your stride, it usually takes me a mile or 2 to find mine.

    Either way, just do it...running is great exercise!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    In terms of actual exercise, both will allow you to perform at a pace that will bring your heart rate up to 85% VO2 and burn calories at the same rate.

    The beauty of treadmills is that you can run steady-state and the machine can be used to FORCE you to run steady-state. The downside, of course, is that you have no wind resistance because you aren't moving, so you'll want to simulate that resistance by inclining the platform, and it's still not a perfect simulation of running outside. The other beauty of treadmills is that the weather is irrelevant. You're inside, on an infinite-length flat plane. Snow, rain, broken pavement, tall curbs, loose gravel, would-be robbers, and inattentive passing vehicles are only of interest to you if you have a window you can look out while you run.

    The beauty of being outside is that you get wind resistance, you get a variety of conditions to run in, chances are you have some variation in terrain so you'll have varying resistance, you get to actually go somewhere, and you can vary your speed based on conditions. So if the weather and your local environment permit, chances are you'll be a lot less bored running outside. You also don't need to buy an expensive treadmill - all you need is a decent set of running shoes.

    But both are running. Not identical, but you'll get great cardio benefits from either.
  • Madelinew22
    Madelinew22 Posts: 289
    TREADMILL!! First of all because I have 2 kids and a puppy and it been 105 for the last week and. It cooling down. I like knowing my speed and proper time. Iya running on a treadmill gets boring but I'm up to 3.5 miles and 45 mins on one. That by itself is a challenge. Running outside hurts my ankes to much
  • ATOLLIT
    ATOLLIT Posts: 149
    I seem to be completely the opposite to everyone else here - I actually find running on a treadmill to be harder than running outside! When you're indoors with a treadmill, it is generally hotter and stuffier, you have limited space if you have long legs, and more than anything else I find it so hard to keep running when I can just turn the machine off if I get bored. If you run outside and have a circular route planned then you kinda have to keep going until you get back home, and I find the time goes by much quicker outside in the fresh air than staring at a wall.

    As a result of these I end up running further faster if I'm outdoors than in, but maybe that's just me!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I started running on a treadmill. I was very new to running and the treadmill helped ease me in to it, since it does propel you forward and it's easier to figure out what pace you are running. When I started training for a 5k though, I began running outside. It only made sense to prepare for a race in a similar environment to what I would experience that day (Nascar drivers don't train on go-karts!). I've been running outside ever since.
    It was hard at first.....my legs hurt more, it was harder to keep going, I was nervous about people watching me. Now, I love it! I'm training for a half-marathon and will do all of my training outside this summer.
    Treadmills definitely have their place, but nothing beats the outdoors! :)
  • fthoodbaby
    fthoodbaby Posts: 52 Member
    I do both. When I run in the mornings before work it's at like 430-500 am so I run inside instead of out on the dark unlit streets (maybe if I lived in town I'd run outside but now out here in the country where I couldn't see a snake in the road! lol). Sometimes I run on the treadmill after work. But my weekends are outside -- usually I get up and run before my hubby and daughters are up so it works out great.

    My very first outside run was actually a 5K and I won 1st place in my age division so treadmill running does work -- if you do plan to take it to the racing level I would encourage you to get outside occassionally though.
  • sharlowbrla
    sharlowbrla Posts: 54
    My favorite is absolutely outside. Vitamin D, the birds singing, no distractions. Sometimes i use music, sometimes i work through a problem in my mind, look at the houses, sometimes i just enjoy. I have 3 dogs and they love it. I have a route measured out and try to improve my time. On a treadmill i just watch the clock.
  • 80Ben
    80Ben Posts: 119 Member
    If I can add my 2 cents I'd say it depends on what you want to do... if you want to run a marathon or bring your running to a high level, then it's better to run outside as it is harder. The treadmill will allow you to do a longer distance and run faster with less energy than you would use outside. Also, there's a certain vibe that comes with running outside early in the morning or late at night than only runners will understand.

    I use the treadmill when it's too hot or too cold for me to run outside. I live in Canada, so the weather can get pretty extreme. It is easier on the joints and articulations, so if you just plan on exercising to burn calories then the treadmill will do the job with less risks of injuries.

    Any exercise is better than no exercise...
  • fthoodbaby
    fthoodbaby Posts: 52 Member
    I find I slow more when running outside, too, but when I look at the programs on my Iphone I realize that it is probably because I am 1) dealing w/the weather issues outside and 2) becuase I run faster outside than I do on the treadmill. Honestly a 10 min mile on the treadmill makes me feel like I'm dying. A 10 min mile outdoors doesn't seem nearly as hard. Weird, I know.
  • mnstrpc
    mnstrpc Posts: 109
    Can't stand running on a treadmill. Makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel, plus oddly enough, it's actually harder on my knees. Too bouncy I think.
  • half_moon
    half_moon Posts: 807 Member
    Elliptical is the best! [/troll]
  • Gemini570
    Gemini570 Posts: 8
    I have bad seasonal allergies, so I am running in the gym on the treadmill right now. Once the worst of my allergy triggers are out of season, I plan on hitting the streets.
    Then I'll know which I prefer. :)
  • enchantedeskape
    enchantedeskape Posts: 121
    I first started running on a treadmill, and at the time I thought I would *NEVER* enjoy running outdoors. I used to think that outdoor runners were crazy. Indoors has AIR CONDITIONING and you don't get WET...and well, in the winter..you don't get COLD. It's also completely SAFE!

    Then I tried running outdoors (I started running races)....and I ran outdoors some more....

    Although indoor running still has all those perks I mentioned above...it is also B-O-R-I-N-G. It doesn't matter if I watch TV, listen to music, try to read something...or play imaginary games in my head. I get bored. And it is much easier to hop off on the sides of my treadmill for a quick breather than to make myself slow down on a regular run. Outside I will tell myself "you can make it to that mail box over there...." And push myself a lot.

    Now I hate the "dreadmill". Which stinks, b/c I think I have to go pound on it today. It is extremely hot today (105).
  • LastMinuteMama
    LastMinuteMama Posts: 590 Member
    Personally, I would rather poke my eyes out than run on a treadmill. I have one downstairs collecting dust.:mad:

    I started with C25k last year outside and never went back to treadmill.

    My thoughts exactly! I call it the Dreadmill and I also have one sitting downstairs. We use ours to hang jump ropes & bands and the free weights are neatly stacked on the base, so it's still is involved with our fitness routine, LOL

    I started out doing most of my running on the treadmill at the gym, but since I made the move outside I am far more likely to do that... neither rain, nor snow nor sun has kept me from a run:smile:
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    I prefer outside because once I've gone I have to come back. On a treadmill it's too easy to give up and get off.
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