I’m having a hard time understanding the discrepancy in my run performance on the treadmill vs. on the road.
I recently ran a 1:32 1/2 marathon (7:00/mile pace) and run around a 42:00 10k (6:45/mile pace) off the bike in oly distance tris.
However, on the treadmill I have and continue to struggle to hold a 7:00/mile pace for 5k or more, even at a relatively low incline (1-2%).
I know this shouldn’t matter because I don’t race on a treadmill, but I’m wondering if the treadmill is highlighting some particular muscular imbalances or telling me something else. Anyone have any insights into this? Have others experienced something similar?
I just wrote a few days abo on another thread that I have the same issue running faster on a treadmill.
For example when I jog at 6 mph (60 min 10K pace), it feels the same as outdoors.
But outdoors, I can do 400m repeats in 90 seconds when I work pretty hard (it is not easy for me, by any means). On a treadmill, this is 10 mph. I can barely stay on the treadmill. Even moving my legs at 9.3 mph (4 min per K pace/40 min 10k pace) is very very difficult at 0, 1% and 2%. My only way of explaining this is that the treadmill belt is moving at a purely constant speed. In outdoors running, we weigh down our leg, compress and push off so there is a deceleration phase and then acceleration when running fast.
That’s the only way I can explain this…other than that, treadmill calibration, but I have the same issue on all treadmill that I used and they can’t all be miscalibrated while all the tracks I run on are calibrated (sometimes even tracks are off depending on terrain available, but that is another topic).
I just did a 85 second 400m x 12 work out on a treadmill. For me I thinkit felt just slightly easier than on a track. I attribute this to the even pacing. But a 40 minute tempo run feels much tougher on a treadmill. I do my TM runs at 1%.
Some of it I believe is mental, some heat build up, some form. It being perceived exertion. To the original poster when you say 1-2%, 2% wont feel like a hill on a TM but its toughter than outdoors.
I know for me right now part of the issue is form. My coordination in my left leg is still not 100% and the treadmill does not care what my leg does not do properly…it just goes. On hard ground, I can make adjustments for some biomechanicaly limitations. I get it that the ground is technically moving underneath me exactly like a treadmill, but technically it is not because of the way you can decelerate and accelerate on hard ground!
I am in the same boat as you. Leading up to a HM in March of this year I ran 3 nights a week on a treadmill. Pretty much never went much quicker than 7:30 pace in those treadmill runs when my outdoor training pace is more like 6:45 pace
Most treadmills you run on will actually be 30-45 seconds faster from what I have experienced. Last night I set the treadmill at 6:15 pace for an hour at 2% incline and it felt like 5:35 pace to me. He best way to use a treadmill is to pop on your HR monitor and stay within your limits. The 7:00 min miles will mess with your head and make you think you are slow.
Treadmills are notorious for variable speed calibration. They might be spot-on with no runner on them, but throw runners of variable weight on, and they’ll either over or undercompensate to maintain speed.
It’ll be close enough for workouts in terms of pace, but not enough to zero in on a race target time down to the seconds. It’s not you - it’s the treadmill. I’ve owned and run on enough treadmills to see this play out in full. Some TMs I’m literally dying at paces +20sec what I expect, and on others I seem like Haile as I have it totally maxxed out in the gym on speed (it’s reading like a 5min/mile which for me should be insanely hard).
"I recently ran a 1:32 1/2 marathon (7:00/mile pace) and run around a 42:00 10k (6:45/mile pace) off the bike in oly distance tris.
However, on the treadmill I have and continue to struggle to hold a 7:00/mile pace for 5k or more, even at a relatively low incline (1-2%)."
Maybe you cut the course?
'Twitch hunt is on! Burn 'em! Burn 'em!
Seriously though, I think the treadmill shortens your extension behind you. I am trying to wean myself from my treadmill dependency, and I notice sometimes I am sort of bounding, and getting a lot more forward distance per stride on the track.
Firstly- treadmill pace isn’t always calibrated very well. so- who knows how fast you’re really running.
Secondly- training day isn’t race day. I always seem to run much faster on race day than any training day.
Personally- I find treadmill running to be easier (faster) than outdoor running. no hills, no wind. Around a 1% to 1.5% grade seems to even things out for me.
Perhaps just run by HR and time when you’re on the 'mill.
I’m convinced its psychological. Sub 6:30 on a Tmill starts to get freaky after a while. Sub 6 for more than 1-2 minutes is almost harrowing. It requires too much concentration … And I can do 18 min 5Ks even in pretty mediocre shape (for me) … Call me a wuss.
Instead I ramp up the incline and don’t run the belt fast.
My discrepancy between outside (being faster by 30+ seconds) and treadmill and its fairly consistent across all treadmills. (except the one I ran on in Hong Kong - I felt really fast, right up till I realized it was km and not miles.)
My experience is very similar to Dev’s. I would also add that your run is dynamically different because on the treadmill the ground is moving which changes the dynamics, for me of the push off. I also tend to get little niggling injuries if I run on the treadmill too much.