Treadmill - Training - Runner's World

Longlegs

03/12/2002 at 08:35

Treadmill Versus Road. Easier, Harder or Just Different?

Lanny

03/12/2002 at 09:41

Personally although I do some short training on the treadmill I find it really boring. I seem to get obsessed with how far and how long i've got left to go. Don't seem to have this problem on the roads.

I guess its easier coz you don't have to have hills unless you want them, the weather isn't a problem and theres no traffic. But I still prefer to be outside even if it is p***ing down and blowing a gale.

If running on the treadmill remember to put it on a slight incline (1%). This makes it more comparable to running on the road (the road doesn't move, the treadmill does).

Give it a go - I know alot of people who do the majority of their on a treadmill. I guess its down to personal preference.

cougie

pirate

03/12/2002 at 09:56

Lanny is right there - I use 1 or 1.5% gradient and my times are the same as running outside.

It is great for short measured runs, when it's horrible outside, interval training, when your longs are in the wash etc....

I can only do about 40 mins max though - I get too hot, so I do the long runs on the outside.

Billy B

03/12/2002 at 22:06

Once did 2hrs on treadmill....blew my mind..never EVER again!!!!
JB

cougie

pirate

04/12/2002 at 09:50

2 hrs !

Must have been a Kylie weekend on MTV ?

Pizza Man:-)

04/12/2002 at 10:22

I once did three hours! Can you imagine doing a marathon on a treadmill? Not even Kylie can save your brain from frying.
The floor all around the treadmill was covered in lucozade bottles. The gym instructors gave me some funny looks but no one said any thing.

Twin Dad Twice

04/12/2002 at 15:47

Wasn't there some bloke a year or two back who missed the start of the London Marathon having overslept. D'oh. So he pegged it to the gym and did the 26.2 on the treadmill while watching the race on telly so that he could still get his sponsors to cough up.

Am I making this up?

Lanny

04/12/2002 at 16:50

2 hours - 3 hours

You must be mad!!!!!!!!!!

Hilly

04/12/2002 at 16:51

The treadmill is ok if you can't run anywhere else for whatever reason and you are only going to do a short distance, but it can't ever replace running outside.

Having run on a wide variety of surfaces I would say that you can still work hard on the treadmill. However, it is easier in some repsects as the belt moves you along, but in other ways it's harder as you get bored quickly and I personally always find there isn't enough air in gyms-especially when there are lots of people in there.

Hubcap

04/12/2002 at 16:53

I find treadmill good for intervals.
I know it is sl easier than road but i find it harder simply by fact it is more boring.
Is good though when someone thinks they are really speedy and run next to you - run faster but only last 5 mins ! sorry- competitive streak.......

Billy B

04/12/2002 at 20:14

I'm now fully converted to outside..rain,sleet or snow
Only use T/M for 2miles after weight training.
Can't imagine why i did 2hrs now...it was a long time ago...in a solar system far away(the force was not with me)

JB

Pizza Man:-)

05/12/2002 at 05:33

I still use mine once a week. 1 hour @ 70% MHR, just to gauge fitness levels. As for another 3 hour session, once bitten .......

Kermy

05/12/2002 at 14:21

It the combination of beating all the other people (who are generally awful in gyms) and the fine ladies to be found running (theres something about a swishing pony tail)

jel

05/12/2002 at 19:19

I used to only use the Treadmill an hour at a time but now can only have long runs outside. I still use the Treadmill at the gym but only for speed work- 400metres fast, 400m recovery as speed/distance is easier to monitor.

Anyway, you can't get lost on a Treadmill which is half the fun of running anyway!

george

05/12/2002 at 22:32

There is no comparison to running in the lashing rain and howling winds and resultant total solitude !
However, being lazy by nature, I do find intervals better done on the treadmill for two reasons. there is the accuracy of distance and pace ( although proper use of heart rate moniters will overcome that ) and its much easier to go the distance and not slow or stop short of the distance or time !

claire

06/12/2002 at 13:52

I find the treadmill harder, my best 10k time on the road is 50.26, however if I try to run 5min KM on the treadmill I feel as if I'm sprinting - so bizarre! Why is that? I always thought the treamill was easier but I am now converted to running outside.

Lanny

06/12/2002 at 13:57

I always feel like I'm running much faster on the treadmill than I really am - I think its coz your not actually getting anywhere

cougie

pirate

06/12/2002 at 14:19

Kermy - I thought it was just me that gets competitive on the treadmill. Glancing over to see what speed the next guy is running at and then making sure you are running about 2k faster.

Sometimes a good recipe for throwing up though.

I agree on the ponytails, and don't forget the wide range of mainly tasteful tatoos on show these days in the local gym.

My Knees Suck

06/12/2002 at 17:48

Velociraptor made me do 30 hours on a treadmill once, as part of his training of crosses. Velociraptor is a meanie! Treadmills are dead easy compared to outside. For starters the track 'pulls' your legs along so you don't have to push of as much. Curious, what's the max speed (minute miling) on most peoples gyms' treadmills? Mine's 5 minute miling.

Sam Panther

06/12/2002 at 18:02

Agree with others about speedwork. Can keep a higher speed for my tempo run on the treadmill which then does translate to speed on the road.