Running: Treadmill vs. Outside at He's Fit

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Running: Treadmill vs. Outside

Posted June 20, 2008 at 01:30 PM by Donnell Peavy

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

I recently talked to a friend of mine who took up running as his primary means of getting in shape. He would run daily on the treadmill and eventually worked his way up to running a little over two miles non-stop. One eventful day, he was feeling his Wheaties and decided to run outside because the weather was nice. He told me that he was panting, drenched in sweat and did not finish the entire two miles. “But I have been running two miles easily,” he told me. He was perplexed as to why he suddenly seemed to have lost his stamina. His experience is not unique by any means; I hear this rather frequently, actually.

The main issue is that a treadmill is a flat surface – there are no bumps and no hills. Also, treadmills are used indoors. Consequently, there is no wind resistance. Yes, wind resistance is an important factor and must be accounted for. If you don’t believe me, try running into the wind on a blustery day. Or better yet, buy a parachute and run with it open and strapped to you. It’s normal for people to keep a pace which is .3 - .5 miles faster on a treadmill than while running outdoors. Can this difference be accounted for when running on a treadmill? Sure it can. For starters, you can run at a faster pace.

Next, add an incline. Quite obviously, you can’t set wind resistance on a treadmill, but you can add resistance by running uphill. Keep it even more realistic by running a course with hills as opposed to a manual flat course. This will simulate running up hills and on uneven surfaces. Keep in mind that you are indoors- with no wind, there is no breeze to dissipate the sweat via evaporation. You will remain hot longer and will dehydrate faster. Keep water with you at all times. Running on a treadmill definitely isn’t the same as running outdoors. There is no scenery, there are no hills and there is no wind, but you can enjoy yourself all the same. Lace up your shoes, turn on your mp3 player and tear up the tread.

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Tags: donnell peavy, donnellpeavy, jogging, running, running and inclines, running and wind resistance, running on a treadmill, running outdoors, treadmills

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36 Responses to “Running: Treadmill vs. Outside” (Leave a reply)

runninstrong08 said:

Interesting-I have the opposite problem. I run 10+ miles outside all the time, but trying to make it 6m on the treadmill about killed me. Am I just a freak or is there a reason it’s the reverse problem for me?
June 20, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Max said:

I think the only reason treadmill might be hard, for me, is that i have a hard time running on them. Always need to be careful, it’s not like jogging on solid ground outside :)
June 29, 2008 at 02:24 AM
Running Guy from Oregon said:

When you’re used to running outside, with all the scenery, wind blowing through your hair, and not having to pay attention to a machine that controls the exact pace you have to run so that you aren’t falling off and making a fool of yourself, running on a treadmill can seem almost treacherous. Personally I feel that treadmills are a last resort for bad weather (mostly when it’s too hot).
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There is no question that running outside is not only more challenging, it is also much harder on the joints.

I prefer to run in doors on the treadmill for these reasons.
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December 11, 2008 at 03:28 AM
water damage denver from San Francisco, CA said:

I was not aware that wind resistance would make such an important factor in running outside vs. running on a treadmill indoors.

I have felt the difference between running outdoors and indoors. On a treadmill, I always felt like I wasn’t working to my full capacity, whereas a jog outside always seemed to work me out more. Now I understand why!
December 23, 2008 at 01:23 AM
outdoor antenna from st louis said:

I always realized this “big time” when I would change it up and jog outside. Never really thought about the wind being a factor though in why it was a little harder on me. Great info!
December 28, 2008 at 08:43 PM
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To make up for the usually more energizing jog that I get from running outdoors as opposed to running indoors, I put the treadmill at about a 3-6% incline to feel the burn more, so to speak.

Great read. Thanks for sharing!
January 24, 2009 at 09:25 PM
Kevin from TreadmillTalk.com from Terrace, BC said:

The best solution to the argument of treadmill vs outdoor running is to do a combination of both. Moving your training outside during warmer weather is a great distraction and good for your soul. Take advantage of the variety of outdoor terrain such as road running, paths, and cross country. Roads and sidewalks are such hard surfaces they can cause stress injuries so if you have the choice to run on softer paths and trails, take it.
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April 10, 2009 at 04:53 AM
640-863 from NY said:

Outside running might be more effective then using a treadmills, it is my opinion while other ones could have the different opinion.
May 16, 2009 at 05:40 AM
642-373 from USA said:

For fitness, health and weight loss purposes, there are really no disadvantages to treadmill training. A calorie burned on a treadmill is the same as a calorie burned during any other activity. Cardiovascular fitness is improved at a similar rate whether you run on a treadmill or outside on the road or track.
May 16, 2009 at 05:44 AM
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The treadmill also provides these same benefits to competitive runners. Fitness gained from running on the treadmill has been shown to be very similar to training effects from free range running. In some cases, treadmill training provides even greater training benefits. An example of this is the consistent pace of the treadmill. Many training programs require workouts that are performed at a precise pace and distance. The treadmill makes maintaining an exact pace and judging the precise distance much easier.
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Andy said:

running outside you have to fight two forces....gravity...and the ability to propel your body forward for motion.

a treadmill you only fight gravity. you don’t need to propel your body forward.
July 10, 2009 at 10:11 AM
edhardy said:

The treadmill makes maintaining an exact pace and judging the precise distance much easier.
July 27, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Corey from Milton, FL said:

I hate the treadmill admittedly because its boring (to me). I use a Garmin Forerunner 450 now which paces me pretty effectively though I’m always trying to beat the virtual partner. Take a look at it on Garmin,s site. Its pimp
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I like the parachute idea. When running outside vs. a treadmill has anyone noticed a difference of how your knees fair after a run.

My friend recently injured his foot from running on the sidewalk vs. the concrete and I don’t want to have the same thing happen to me.

Any suggestions?
October 26, 2009 at 01:37 PM
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Nothing beats going outdoors. Inhaling fresh air can be good for your body.
January 4, 2010 at 12:38 PM
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Yes, wind resistance is an important factor and must be accounted for. If you don’t believe me, try running into the wind on a blustery day. Or better yet, buy a parachute and run with it open ajf nike shoes and strapped to you. It’s normal for people to keep a pace which is .3 - .5 miles faster on a treadmill than while running outdoors. Can this difference be accounted for when running on a treadmill? Sure it can. For starters, you can run at a faster pace.
January 8, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Multi gym from UK said:

Excellent observations here...and some fantastic tips. This is a very common problem, people think it is the same running on a treadmill as it is outside - and when they try outside, they really struggle for reasons youve already mentioned.

I also recommend user who want a more realisitc experience to put on a 1% incline. The other part however is mental..I do believe it is MENTALLY tougher to run outdoors than it is indoors. To overcome this, it simply comes down to the individual and also experience (it was friends first time?). But some great tips there :-D

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January 14, 2010 at 11:18 AM
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February 2, 2010 at 11:30 AM
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Well i would like to suggest him that he should go for outside and have some walk. It ‘ll definitely prove to be more beneficial for him. He should think about it seriously.
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