I’m curious what people’s experiences have been running on a treadmill. I just bought one and have found that contrary to my original belief, I find it harder to run on the treadmill than outside. Can maintain an 8/min mile outside (I’m not a fast runner) but on the treadmill I feel like I’m sprinting…even when I drop it down to a 9:40/mile pace…I’ve usually got the elevation at a very low 1% or 2% but didn’t figure that would impact it that much. Anyone else feel this way or am I the only one that is such a treadmill wimp?
A 2% grade will have a noticeable imact on your effort; for me, even 1% changes a 7:00/mile pace from an easy run to a tough one.
There’s also the question of calibration…
A 2% grade will have a noticeable imact on your effort; for me, even 1% changes a 7:00/mile pace from an easy run to a tough one.
There’s also the question of calibration…
I had read somewhere that a 1% grade makes it feel more “outside” like.
And what is the question of calibration? I just built it out fo the box and started running on it…not a cheapy treadmill so figured it would be OK.
I always have found it harder to run on a treadmill. My pace on the treadmill does not transfer directly to “true ground speed” at all. I find that I’m at least a minute or more faster outside. I kind of like that! I also keep the elevation at 1% or so thereabouts.
I wonder if it’s related to running style, namely footstrike. I don’t know, but I like the fact that such disappointing numbers on the treadmill will mean less disappointing numbers on the road.
A 2% grade will have a noticeable imact on your effort; for me, even 1% changes a 7:00/mile pace from an easy run to a tough one.
There’s also the question of calibration…
I had read somewhere that a 1% grade makes it feel more “outside” like.
And what is the question of calibration? I just built it out fo the box and started running on it…not a cheapy treadmill so figured it would be OK.
How do you know that the belt is actually moving at the displayed speed? You could measure the length of the belt, and count RPM at a particular speed, I guess.
I think that treadmill running and riding on a trainer are both harder than doing the activity outside. I think a lot is just the monotony and boredom of being inside, it’s just easier to focus on your pain when you don’t have the entire world to distract you.
The good news is that your body doesn’t know what the treadmill pace says…
I’m much slower on the treadmill. That’s why I try to avoid them like the plague.
Re: calibration: It’s a machine; like all machines, questions of complete accuracy persist (think of your speedometor in your car; that needs to calibrated every so often as well). I’m a 6:00 - 6:30 min / mile runner, and running on a treadmill at 7 min/ mile is often more effort than it should be.
The easiest way to see the calibration thing is to go to a gym with a number of treadmills. Pick a speed that’s comfortable for you, and run for 5 minutes or so on each machine. You’ll see that some are simply faster than others at X mph or X min / mile.
So, your machine might not be perfectly calibrated. Not a big deal, really; find whatever speed is most like your effort when running outside, and use that as your target and orient your workouts from there. I have no idea how one would go about fixing the calibration issue, anyways.
I have the same issue with my treadmill (Pacemaster Gold Elite). I’ve had some correspondence with Pacemaster on the issue, and the calibration appears to be fine. (They sent me a calibration thing where you count belt revolutions for a specified time.)
Long run pace outdoors is ~8:30/mile. Long run pace on the treadmill (same PE) is more like 10:00/mile.
I just ignore it and train by time (and HR). It makes for a nice surprise on race day.
I keep meaning to put my bike on it to check it’s distance calibration (using the computer on my bike), but haven’t done so yet.
Steve
Here is a link to a good treadmill pace conversion chart.
What Steve said…
I seem to be in the minority here - I hate running on a treadmill, but I hate missing a run even more so I will occasionally. I find the treadmill much easier (as far as pace/speed goes). Since I dread the thing, I usually ratchet up the pace pretty hard, even up to 12+ mph which I could not hold for very long outside, but seems pretty easy on the rat machine. Love running hard on a treadmill then getting off and stumbling around for a while though 
its slower for me too, but not as much. I typically run 7:20-7:30 miles when training, on the treadmill running at 8.0 mph (7:30 pace) is quite a bit harder. I find my natural pace is closer to 7.7 (7:43 pace if my math is right). That’s with the treadmill set at 1% incline.
You’ve got that right.
I do alot of travelling for work, so I get to sample quite a few treadmills. The difference in PE for a given pace can vary dramatically from machine to machine.
The ego likes running 7:00/mile alot more than 10:00/mile, but I think for my home machine, I’ll take the slow one.
Steve
I’ll add that my treadmill PR for 5km is 16:58, and my 5km outdoor PR is 17:14 (a decade prior). I find it a lot easier to maintain pace when the alternative is an unseemly exit off the back of the treadmill.
IF and this is a BIG IF your machine is correctly calibrated running on the mill shouldn’t be anymore difficult than running outside. In fact if you don’t jack it up a couple of degrees it should be easier.
The primary reason most people seem to find it more difficult is that they don;t warm up properly before cranking it up to their desired pace. When you go out for a run on the road you may not know it or feel it but you will start out slower and gradually warm up to your training pace. Nobody gets out the door for a 20 miler at 7:00 minute pace and starts cranking 7 minute miles. We all start out running slower and work our way up to goal pace and make up the difference when we are warm. People on treadmills have a tendency to be impatient and crank them up to goal pace after half a mile and then wonder why they are getting breathless.
If you get easily bored on a treadmill, make up some games. I used to run a lot of miles on a treadmill and had all sorts of little challenge games I would play…ladders, progerssions, fartlek, beat the machine.
My favorite was at the local YMCA where one treamill was really out of wack. The calibration would register at 12mph but it was really about 10mph. I would get on that thing and bang out a 50 minute 10 miler much to the amazement of my neighbors on the adjoining treadmills.
good point about warming up…I always start about 1.0 to 1.5 mph slower than my desired pace and add .1 mph every 30 seconds or so until I’m at my normal pace.
Absolutely agree…my runs on a treadmill “feel” like more work compared to the same pace outside…very unscientific…don’t discount the effect of 1-2 % grade…that would typically slow me down by at least a min per mile…
I have run on pretty much the same treadmills at my health club for about 10-12 years and there is definitely a difference between treadmill calibration. One treadmill in particular seems a lot harder at the same speed than the others. One brand is noticeably easier than the others at the same speed. There is also the boredom factor which comes with treadmill running, which does not make things any easier.
Technicaly on a properly calibrated treadmil you should be ~2-5% faster than when running outside. You see, it’s because the belt actualy pushes your foot back.
BAHAHAHAHAH!!! I kill myself. That one cracks me up everytime.
Seriously, it’s the reduced wind resistance. A good runner can get up to 12-13 mph when running intervals on the treadmill. A 13 mph wind isn’t much, but it will have an effect.
It’s likely the calibration. I struggle to run 10 min/mile on my treadmill at home and typicaly run 7-8 min/mile outside. Just run from time and convert it to miles later. As long as your heart rate is up it doesn’t matter.