Newbie question: moving from treadmill to road



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David Lubich

Guest
After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors, but
I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins on a
treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or track
are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it seems
very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to what I
may be doing wrong?
 
David Lubich wrote:

> After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors,
> but I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins
> on a treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or
> track are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it
> seems very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to
> what I may be doing wrong?

Suggest you slow down a little outdoors until you adjust, then increase speed as needed for the type
training you are pursuing. The treadmill without any elevation doesn't really simulate the road,
where you are making small corrections for uneven surface and possibly encountering wind resistance,
and in my experience using your leg muscles somewhat differently. I personally find the occasional
treadmill run more difficult than the same pace and time on the road, so it may have a lot to do
with just being accustomed to one or the other. Not to mention the fact that your treadmill may not
be calibrated properly so the effort that gets you 8-minute mile pace on the treadmill might not be
enough effort outdoors to achieve the same time. To compensate, you may be running harder outdoors
and outstripping your trained ability to deliver oxygen.

All speculation, of course, I'm no expert, but I believe you'll get more comfortable outdoors within
a few weeks. Good luck. chris
 
>After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors,
>but I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins on
>a treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or track
>are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it seems
>very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to what I
>may be doing wrong?
>

Nothing, just keep at it. You've just discovered that running on a readmill is not running at all.

Bill R.

=============> - -- - (_!_)
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In article <[email protected]>, David Lubich wrote:
> After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors,
> but I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins
> on a treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or
> track are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it
> seems very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to
> what I may be doing wrong?

When you're on the treadmill, the treadmill sets your pace. When you're on the road, the treadmill
isn't telling you how fast you should run any more. So you need to pace yourself appropriately,
otherwise you get tired and have to stop. Also, running outside is moderately harder, you'll need a
slightly slower pace.

It is easy to run faster when you're outdoors. I feel comfortable running around 6:00 pace outdoors,
but unless I build up to it, that pace feels hazardously fast on the treadmill.

So in two words, "slow down". If you go slowly enough, you should be able to keep running for an
hour or so. If you're going at a pace which tires you out after 30min or less, keep slowing down.

If you can find an athletics track, it might be worth running around that so that you get a feel for
pacing yourself outdoors.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
David Lubich wrote:

> After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors,
> but I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins
> on a treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or
> track are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it
> seems very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to
> what I may be doing wrong?

As Chris mentioned, you're going to have to set a slight gradient to the TM to simulate road
running. There a few reasons for this but one is wind resistance, which depending on ones pace,
may be significant. You are running along at 7.5 mph. When outside on a calm day you essentially
have a 7.5 mph headwind that you don't have on the TM. Jack Daniels book "Daniels Running
Formula" talks about wind on page 184. There is a graph there that relates wind speed to V02 (02
consumption). From the chart it looks like a 7.5mph wind adds an additional 6% on the 02 demand
on the runner. The beneficial effects of a tailwind and the effect that wind has on removing heat
from the body are positive but he also discusses how that don't completely cancel out the
headwind factor.

Another factor, and we've gone 'round and 'round on this in the past so there are many views, is the
matter of staying stationary on a moving surface as opposed to moving over a stationary surface and
the effort of one vs. the other. I'm of the opinion that staying stationary on a moving surface is a
small tad easier then running forward on a stationary surface. In the former the motor is moving the
belt that is essentially pulling the runners feet back, there is no pushing back or push off. Where
in the latter, with no motor, the runner must push back to go forward. We've beat this subject to
death on other threads to the point of even discussing the effect on running at the equator with and
against the Earths spin.

Anyway, with all of the above aside, the TM is an excellent tool but I find I have to set it at
about 1.5% to simulate road speeds and effort. Doug Burke
 
Ahh...the ongoing saga of treadmill versus road. Inclines and wind resistance aside, I read
something very interesting recently which explains my personal experiences. There is a much greater
"energy return" via achilles tendon elasticity on the road (which is hard) versus the treadmill
(which is soft and therefore absorbs more energy). Sooo...while your muscles may actually be used to
doing more work on the treadmill for a given pace, your tendons may not be up to the added pounding
to use the extra energy return from the road. In other words, you'll have to build up to it!!

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (David
Lubich) wrote:
>After a few years of extremely boring treadmill running, I'm determined to try running outdoors,
>but I've noticed that it seems a lot tougher. To be more specific, I can normally run 20-30 mins on
>a treadmill with no gradient (8 min miles), but am finding that all I can manage on a road or track
>are intervals, typically 2 mins run, 1 min walk. I can keep this up for 20-25 mins, but it seems
>very odd that I can't maintain a run for the same time outdoors as in. Any suggestions as to what I
>may be doing wrong?
 
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