Last week it was in the 60s and I was running in shorts. This week, treadmill running made an appearance.
Don’t get me wrong, nothing is better than running outside. Nothing. I have no idea how (or why) people run on a treadmill year round.
I can’t complain – my treadmill is in my basement in front of a large TV. I can watch any show or movie I want with the volume jacked all the way up. This helps…but not all the time. Some days I just can’t bring myself to run on it.
This week I’ve been pretty busy at work and had to get in early (7:30ish). I’ve opted for treadmill runs on both Monday and Tuesday. I do have certain runs that I can do on the treadmill and certain runs I refuse to do on a treadmill. It’s very scientific…
YES
– easy runs of no more than 4-5 miles
– speed work
HELL NO
– long runs
– tempo runs
– longer easy runs
(via)
I could never train for a distance race solely using the treadmill. It’s just too easy. You never learn to pace yourself, deal with varying weather conditions and terrain, and run downhill. You reap so many more benefits by running outside.
Treadmill – yay or nay?
If you use a treadmill are there certain runs you refuse to do on it?
My treadmill is a tool for running with a kid sleeping upstairs, but I’d rather be outside. I’m still really glad for it though!
I’d sooner pluck out my eyelashes than do a long run on a TM but other than that I’m cool with them.
I hate the treadmill and only use if I have to (ice on the ground, blizzard, etc).
I am totally against treadmills. I loathe them. My attention span is lacking so I get bored within 5 minutes on a treadmill, even with a giant TV in front of me. This will be my first winter running and I made sure to buy appropriate attire so I don’t have an excuse to skip getting outside for a run, even when its 15 degrees out.
I don’t know how people do their long runs on treadmills. It would drive me INSANE! I can stomach 4, maybe 5 miles at most. But the winters in the Northeast are horrendous and running outside just isn’t an option.
I am not a fan of the treadmill. Howeverrrrr, I am forced to use it in the winter. My town is tiny and it’s not safe to run on the back roads when it’s dark. Two days a week, I do about 6 miles on the tm before work. Two days are cross training, lifting, and spin after work. Then I get to be outside on weekends! Yay!
I don’t mind the treadmill for shorter runs. Anything over an hour though & I need to be outside.
I have a delightful cold at the moment so even though I could be outside, I feel like its smarter to stay in.
I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for the treadmill recently. The reason is that, being 20 weeks prego, the restroom is only a pause button away. 🙂
I used the treadmill a lot while I was pregnant in the winter and then when there was a heatwave. I was advised to run indoors. Sucked balls, but a run is a run, indoor or out. I kind of wished (when I was member at gyms) that they had indoor tracks. There was an indoor track at the Bally’s near me, BUT that place was a meatpacking industry.
Other than that, I totally prefer outdoor running. However, it’s still ab it difficult w/ a baby.
I follow pretty much the same guidelines as you, but I *will* do a tempo run on a treadmill if it’s icy or really cold outside. Keeping that kind of pace for that amount of time requires concentration that I don’t want to waste on making sure I’m not slipping or worrying about whether I’m going to have to slow down for a stop light. I try to throw in inclines randomly to mimic hills and I play with the pace so it’s not always exactly the same.
Oh I am SO with you! I do not enjoy the treadmill at all! I can do 3-4 on it without it being too bad, but much more than that I a will not be happy 🙂 Fortunately I don’t mind running in poor weather too much, so I normally opt to go outside!
I share your treadmill philosophy. Speedwork is made easier on the treadmill, but I’d still prefer to do all runs outside whenever possible. Also, I don’t own a treadmill so I need to go to the gym, then hope it isn’t busy so I can stay on past the 30 min cardio time limit. Sometimes I use music AND tv on the treadmill so I don’t get bored out of my mind…yet I do most of my outdoor runs music-less.
I find when I run on a treadmill I “give up” way too easily. By being outside, on a loop, with no way to get back home other than my own 2 feet, I will mentally tough it out and keep running the whole time. I am very lucky that the coldest it gets here is 30 with no snow.
I have run 2 times on a treadmill in my life. They were both total disasters. I just cannot do it.
I’m a big fan of treadmills for speed work, and I occasionally really like it for long runs, on those days where I just want to zone out to crappy television for a few hours. We’re in the middle of finishing our basement and I can’t wait to put a treadmill down there so that I don’t need to deal with the gym.
NAY! (enough said)
i haaaattteee the treadmill but also hate running in winter conditions. i like a chill in the air but sub freezing and damp are deal breakers. my issue with the treadmill is that i always end up killing myself and increasing the pace because i’m so bored. always turns into a tempo or speed session! 🙂
I despite treadmills. They exist for when the ground is covered in ice, thunderstorms, and when the temperature is in the triple digits. I have occasionally used them for speedwork when I can’t get to the track. I tried to run to TV and I couldn’t get into it, maybe if I had my own and not the crappy gym ones. I could not be more with you, I have no idea how people do long runs or train solely on treadmills – to me, it’s so much easier to keep a pace there than in real life, and it doesn’t prepare you for racing.