If a similar thread is somewhere in the archives, please link it.
I was wondering how you guys feel about the treadmill verse outdoor running in the winter time. For me I have a hard time building a winter base on the treadmill and see it translate to outdoor running. I normally run on the treadmill with a few degree incline to more appropriately mimic normal running, but still find it lacking.
Some of the cons of outdoor running is increased risk of sickness(i know this isn’t exactly true but imperially) and injury.
These are avoided by running on a treadmill, but as listed above, cleary has its own disadvantaged.
What do you guys do in the winter time and what are your feelings on the pros and cons?
P.S. I live in Ohio so the weather gets pretty crappy, but rarely drops below 0*F.
When I first started running, I used a treadmill until I broke it from running on it too much. It wasn’t the greatest treadmill in the world so that wasn’t much of an accomplishment. From that moment on, I ran exclusively outside no matter how cold, how wet, etc. Then last year, I decided to run on a treadmill at the gym. I tried that during the winter and now I’m back to exclusively running outside because I hated it. While the argument could be made that a treadmill is easier on your body, I feel the workout is inferior, inconsistent due to equipment calibration, and in general I hate gyms.
Hey Sully. I started running on the treadmill last year after my knee surgery. I’ve found that if I break my runs down by 1 treadmill run, 1 offroad/trail run, and 2 road runs a week my knees stay feeling pretty good. The longest I’ll usually do on the tread is 5-6 miles. I try to simulate any track/speed work into this workout as well. The numbers may be a bit off, i.e. not calibrated, but it works for me.
Also, you’re right about the incline thing I think. There was an article once, may still be linked on trinewbies, that had treadmill pace calculator with incline, also quite a few good treadmill workouts to keep it not boring.
There is a good article on treadmill running in the Kona issue of Inside Triathlon, written by Cliff English. It can answer some of your questions.
I like the treadmill because it can help with leg turnover. It can also be a good tool for Tempo intervals, tempo runs, or bricks after cycling. If it is in front of a mirror, you can also pay close attention to your running form.
A grade of 1.0% or 1.5% simulates running on flat ground pretty good. 0% grade is a little bit like running downhill. They also say that a slight grade on the treadmill can lessen the impact slightly, which can be a little better on the legs.
Running is one of the few things I can consitantly do outdoors during the winter. Once it gets really cold and dark most of my cycling is inside. Swimming too, obviously. I don’t buy the sickness argument, the germs are inside. A little common sense minimizes the injury risk, watch the ice.
Also worth pointing out that while treadmills are more forigiving than running outside and less likely to injure you in the short term, you may have problems if you spend the whole winter on the treadmill and then expect to get back outside in spring and run the same volume. Your joints and muscles won’t be used to the harder and more uneven surfaces you’re likely to encounter outside.
I find the treadmill a great tool for easing back into running after an injury or for maintaining running volume if my joints are a little sore and I don’t want to exacerbate the pain.
I can hosestly say that I’ve never run on a treadmill. I ran through last winter in northern IL- snow, ice, sub-zero temps, monster wind. It became fun, and I’m looking forward to another season of winter running. Make sure you’ve got good gear to get outside in, and cover exposed skin when its REALLY cold. Concentrate on leg speed in snowy/icy sections- I think its those long strides that increase the risk of falling. You’ll do shorter runs when its really brutal anyhow, which will minimize exposure and help to keep you illness free. Take advantage of the long nights and get extra sleep- Its very possible to run through a cold winter and not get sick or hurt!
You can do really quick brick workouts without having to go outside sweaty.
Want to work on getting your cadence up? you guessed it…
you can set whatever hill incline you want.
You can easily run at an exact HR for an entire workout if you wanted to. Personally, I think it is easier to control your HR on a treadmill than anything else.
As you said, it is easier on the body so I may be able to run more on the treadmill. Whenver I feel aches and pains in the shins, I hop on the treadmill to give them a break for a couple days and they usually go away.
Cons
They are pretty brutally boring. I have a computer and a tv setup in front of mine and it is still brutal some days.
Here’s a non-physiological pro: my treadmill has increased the amount I run. I prefer running outside all winter (S. Ontario) by a wide margin, but sometimes the thought of putting all those layers of gear on to go for a sub zero run in the wind at 9PM just isn’t that appealing. Plus if my wife is out and I need to stay home with the kids- I can still get my run in. Dev’s “run every day in January” challenge wouldn’t happen for this guy without the treadmill. There’s at least one run every week that likely would not happen without my treadmill.
The convenience factor for me is a negative. I don’t own a treadmill. I have been going to the gym in the mornings and doing my swim workouts, then running at home in the evenings. I would hate to hit the gym to swim in the morning, go to work, then return to the gym to run. The gym is only about 1/4 miles from my work, but its still a pain in the ass to pack the clothes each day.
I run because I like to run and I like to be outside.
I bike because I like to bike and I like to be outside.
However, when winter hits home here in Ottawa, outdoor biking because a no no for me and I start hitting the trainer only 3 times a week as soon temperatures are below 25/30F. There is the visibility issue with the darkness. In addition, there is the icy/snowy road conditions issue. However I know guys who rides all year long but they do not leave in the countryside like I do and have a shorter commute (mine is ~20 miles one way).
But I still can run outside so I can keep some level of sanity. Last year, in Ottawa, I only ran three times in a treadmill at the gym because it was below 0F and quite windy. I admit I ran more than three times on a treadmill total **but **it was because I was traveling to Mexico City and a) the pollution is unbelievable there and b) a lot of people (including locals) told me that a Gringo going for a run was not a very very smart and safe it even where I was next to the US Embassy… So I had to suck it up and be on the treadmill…
If it is cold you can always warm up on the trainer then go outside for the run…
Running when it snows is a fantastic feeling!
Good question. I had a really bad experience last year with a health club treadmill. Without knowing it, I got on a treadmill that had some weird glitch that caused it to slow down and speed up somewhat randomly. The club’s staff mentioned the problem to me *after *it suddenly slowed at a rather brisk pace and my knee just let out an awful noise and seemed to giive way suddenly. Two physical therapy consults later and I was off running for over a month. Not good. I was getting ready for IMMoo.
I guess the point here is that treadmill training, like anything I suppose, has its risks. You could easily slip on the ice running outside and break a wrist. One winter three of our customers fell running outside and injured themselves. I always figured the treadmill limited your exposure to such things.
If you decide to put in some time on a treadmill I wager the chances of it benefitting you are much larger than the chances of it causing a problem. Like anything involving equipment, be sure to check out your equipment first though. I would have never dreamed I could hurt my knee on a treadmill that suddenly slowed down without warning due to a mechanical problem.
Talk about unlucky on your part, and irresponsibility on behalf of the staff.
Indoor injuries reminds me of a friend who got into cycling years before me. I went to house and his wife told me he was in the basement on his rollers. I walked down the steps to see him riding stationary with a helmet. I novicely asked him what was up with the helmet, and he replied with, “Check out the book case…”
I looked about 10 feet in front of him to see a couple shelves roughed up and just as many books on the floor as put away. I imagine you can put two and two together. Now that I know a little more about cycling, I realize that this is actually a real problem. Guess that explains the hype of Inside Ride Rollers at Interbike this year.
The guys and girls at the club felt really bad. After it happened they said, “We thought everyone knew they did that… they need to be serviced.” Oh well, assumed risk…
Indoor injuries reminds me of a friend who got into cycling years before me. I went to house and his wife told me he was in the basement on his rollers. I walked down the steps to see him riding stationary with a helmet. I novicely asked him what was up with the helmet, and he replied with, “Check out the book case…”
I looked about 10 feet in front of him to see a couple shelves roughed up and just as many books on the floor as put away. I imagine you can put two and two together. Now that I know a little more about cycling, I realize that this is actually a real problem. Guess that explains the hype of Inside Ride Rollers at Interbike this year.
Sorry, but I have to call BS on this. You do not ride 10 feet forward if you ride off rollers. You stop INSTANTLY (and most likely fall over).
