My question: is running on a treadmill as valuable to your training as “real” running?
I’ve always thought of treadmills as kinda cheating - you set your speed and distance and then just “hang on” to the end.
Yes, you’re generating some sweat but is it as good a workout as hitting the streets?
Any other tips for getting the best out of a treadmill? (I’ve heard it said you should set it to a slight incline - better for your knees. True?)
Thanks,
SM
How is running on a treadmill not “real” running?
Never less than 1% incline.
It’s cheating, but only in the context of cheating yourself. You (probably) don’t race on a treadmill. You can simulate road resistance on the treadmill, but only through incline - which will naturally alter your stride at a given speed/effort. You can’t achieve parity between treadmill and road/trail, but you can get pretty damn close.
None of this is to say that treadmill running is not “real” or valuable in training. During the winter, I do roughly 95% of my speed work on the treadmill, and perhaps 60% or more of my total running on the treadmill. With that said, keeping a feel for natural surfaces will help when it comes time to transition back.
My comment about not being “real” running - in my opinion, treadmill running eliminates much of the psychological side of running.
On the roads, your performance is governed almost as much by mental factors as physical factors - having the inner motivation to drive yourself ever faster when your body wants to give up. That side of it largely goes away on a treadmill.
Just my $0.02.
Treadmill running is a tool. It’s a great tool, but it’s certainly a tool. The fact that you set a constant speed can be a good thing. It can also be useful because you can easily set a speed faster than you’d normally run. So treadmill can be great for overspeed work. Treadmills also offer a lot of cushioning, so can be helpful there too if you are coming back from injury. That was a great boon for me when I was rehabbing.
And, lastly, running on a treadmill is still running. And running is always better than not running.
But, yes, as someone as said, always set the treadmill for 1-2% incline. A treadmill at 0% incline is actually more like running slightly downhill.
I got/get along of benefit from treadmill running; got much faster running on treadmill.
But I guess it depends upon what course you are running your A race; just did IMLP and ran a ton on the treadmill that didn’t help me much on the hills at LP.
Treadmills train the legs, pavement trains the mind.
Never trust a treadmill’s calibration. Buy a foot pod.
Treadmills train the legs, pavement trains the mind.
Never trust a treadmill’s calibration. Buy a foot pod.
This is why it’s critical to keep a connection with running on natural surfaces (even if it’s only once a week). A treadmill is great for tracking gains and building overall run fitness, but the true test comes when you step off the treadmill onto your race surface. I’ve found my VDOT to vary by as much as 1.5 (in the unfortunate direction) when transitioning from long periods of treadmill training. The VDOT delta is composed of both physical and mental components.
In the winter I do all my speedwork on a treadmill. The track workouts around me are in the evenings when I want to spend time with my family, and I can go to the TM at 5am and get in 8 miles of intervals before my kids got up. It kept me on pace better than the dark streets. Who cares if it is cheating? I got a lot faster last winter. I still did my tempo runs and long runs outside – sometimes with a jogging stroller. You get it in however you can. We all have lives outside of running and sometimes a treadmill is what makes sense.
it is unless you are doing it like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3KCjIAhSPc
To those who say it is not mental training, do a 1.5-2 hour marathon pace run on there and let us know if you still think that.
Rappstar basically nailed it. It’s a tool that can be very valuable.
I swear by the treadmill of you want to really dial in your pacing. If you do it consistently, you can throw away your Garmins.
I find it psychologically much easier to run outside than to run on a treadmill. I used to do most of my running outdoors but after our third child I had to switch to treadmill runs during the week and only one long run outside on the weekend. I hate running inside so much that running outside is always a treat now. So mentally, running on a treadmill has helped me psychologically. Also, I have seen no drop in fitness gains switching to treadmill runs during the week. Running is running. I believe you still need to run outside to get used to pavement and do some hill work but i don’t see how running on a treadmill is cheating yourself.
It doesn’t really go away, just look at how many people grab the rails and step off during treadmill runs. I’d argue you have to be just as mentally tough on the treadmill because it’s so easy to quit. At least if you’re outside and you give up, you still have to make it home somehow. On a treadmill, you just step off and done. I’m probably the opposite of you, I have trouble staying focused on a treadmill. The distance just ticks by and often times, I find it harder to hold a certain pace.
My comment about not being “real” running - in my opinion, treadmill running eliminates much of the psychological side of running.
On the roads, your performance is governed almost as much by mental factors as physical factors - having the inner motivation to drive yourself ever faster when your body wants to give up. That side of it largely goes away on a treadmill.
Just my $0.02.
I thought the whole 1% incline needed on the treadmill was dead for any pace slower than ~ 6min.miles
http://www.hillrunner.com/jim2/id110.html
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To those who say it is not mental training, do a 1.5-2 hour marathon pace run on there and let us know if you still think that.
Agreed. Running on a treadmill is mentally tough…especially if you enjoy running.
My heart rate is always higher on a treadmill then it is outside at the same speed & distance. I use a garmin fr60 with foot pod to measure speed/distance & hr for both.
I thought the whole 1% incline needed on the treadmill was dead for any pace slower than ~ 6min.miles
http://www.hillrunner.com/jim2/id110.html
I pose this simple question to you. Is it harder to run at higher inclines? The answer is yes. Based on that simple thought, I won’t run at 0% incline. I always set the treadmill at 1% or more (usually just 1%).
I always set the mill at 1% (0.5% if I’m feeling lazy) but not because I need to make up for the lack of wind resistance but to make it just a touch harder
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I enjoy the treadmill. Its much better on my knees than outside.