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Treadmill pace vs Road pace (Read 1932 times)

    I would still consider myself a new runner and I have a question. When I enter my route and my time into this site when I run outside on the road it gives me a pace as you know. I have even driven the routes to see how accurate the distance is and it seems pretty good. It was rainning pretty hard the other day and I decided it would be safer to run indoors at the gym. I have always been told that you are faster on the tread mill but my pace was signifacantly slower and it was a lot harder. Am I the only one? Am I missing something? Confused

    My sport's your sport's punishment

     

    2012 goals

                  

    100 Km month         150 K month      200K month

    5K run    10K run     20K run              30K run

    sub 30 min 5K         sub 55min 10K


    Lazy idiot

      Does the treadmill you were on not have the ability to set your pace? What incline was the TM set on as well? I've found in my treadmill experiences that it is usually easier than outdoor running at a similar pace. I'm not sure why this would happen to you. I've heard that some people just do not do well on treadmills (or haven't gotten used to them). Sorry I'm not much help!

      Tick tock

        The treadmill has a pace setting but if I set it to the pace that I am used to then I feel like I'm sprinting. I usually set the TM to a 1 or 2% incline. I find that my stride is all screwed up when I use the thing.

        My sport's your sport's punishment

         

        2012 goals

                      

        100 Km month         150 K month      200K month

        5K run    10K run     20K run              30K run

        sub 30 min 5K         sub 55min 10K

        jEfFgObLuE


        I've got a fever...

          Usually, treadmill pace is a little faster than on the road because you are getting a little momentum assist from the belt. The recommendation is to set the treadmill incline to 1% to compensate. Everyone is a little different, however. And all treadmills are a little different. It could be any number of things: ▲the treadmill could have been set at an incline and you didn't realize it. ▲treadmill speed calibration is off slightly. This is not uncommon at all. ▲you're just not used to running on a treadmill. It is different and takes some adjustment.

          On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

            If I use the TM and run with the stride and what feels like the speed I am accustomed to will that still give me the same run as if I were to run outside. I am trying to get used to this so when the winter comes I can run inside. My runs are normally early in the morning and I don't like running on the country roads near my home in the dark people really don't watch for runners.

            My sport's your sport's punishment

             

            2012 goals

                          

            100 Km month         150 K month      200K month

            5K run    10K run     20K run              30K run

            sub 30 min 5K         sub 55min 10K

            jEfFgObLuE


            I've got a fever...

              If I use the TM and run with the stride and what feels like the speed I am accustomed to will that still give me the same run as if I were to run outside.
              With a 1% incline, it should be close.

              On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

              Scout7


                Alright, here's the deal.... Assuming a 0% incline on the treadmill, and compare that to running on a track. There is no biomechanical difference in form, and there is no measurable difference in terms of benefit from running on a treadmill vs. a track. That being said, there are terrain and incline differences while running on the road. That is tough to simulate on a treadmill. Generally speaking, any difference between your normal running, and a treadmill, is probably in your head. I firmly believe in specificity for training. So if you race on the road, you should do the majority of your training on the road. I said majority. If you do runs on the treadmill, that's fine, and probably won't have any negative impact. Of course, I can't figure out why you were running on a treadmill because it was raining. I can see if there was lightning involved, or you had to be inside to keep an eye on the kids or be reachable.
                va


                  It's likely a matter of treadmill calibration. I think all of the treadmill's at my gym indicate a slower pace than actual. In the Jack Daniels' "Running Formula" book, he recommends measuring the size of the belt and then counting 10 revolution while running on it. This will allow you to calculate the actual pace. I haven't tried this yet but would like to. You can also use a Nike+iPod or the new foot pod for a Garmin 305.
                    Generally speaking, any difference between your normal running, and a treadmill, is probably in your head.
                    You may be right, but whenever I use a treadmill I too feel like its harder work than road running. Since I use a treadmill very infrequently -- maybe once every four months -- I think I'm simply unaccustomed to the feel and rhythm, and it makes it harder. HR readings confirm this, so I'm not sure I can agree that its all in my head.

                    How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

                    Scout7


                      You may be right, but whenever I use a treadmill I too feel like its harder work than road running. Since I use a treadmill very infrequently -- maybe once every four months -- I think I'm simply unaccustomed to the feel and rhythm, and it makes it harder. HR readings confirm this, so I'm not sure I can agree that its all in my head.
                      HR could also be higher due to stress related to doing something you're unaccustomed to, or to differentiations in the temperature/humidity between your normal environment and where the treadmill is. Like you said, you are unaccustomed to the treadmill, and that in and of itself can cause fluctuations in your HR. But, I again go back to why rain was keeping the OP indoors....
                        But, I again go back to why rain was keeping the OP indoors....
                        Preaching to the choir, brother. Some of my best, most enjoyable, serene runs have been in driving rain. Makes me feel like a real runner.

                        How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

                        derek


                          Treadmills always seem hard to me. I think there are couple reasons: - It's monotonous - At least in my case, when I'm outdoors, my pace tends to fluctuate a bit so if I'm a little tired I slow down and speed back up a bit later. On a treadmill, you're forced to keep running at the same pace.

                          Derek

                            Strangest thing... I find that I can run farther without walking on a treadmill, but I still go faster on the road.
                              Treadmills always seem hard to me. I think there are couple reasons: - It's monotonous - At least in my case, when I'm outdoors, my pace tends to fluctuate a bit so if I'm a little tired I slow down and speed back up a bit later. On a treadmill, you're forced to keep running at the same pace.
                              This is exactly how I feel. I also seem to overheat on treadmills alot. Not enough airflow generally. The flipside is that when I get stuck running on a treadmill for a while due to travel, etc., my next few road runs seem dramatically faster.
                                I find that more and more I am on the treadmill for my runs. I work 30 hours (back up to 35 as of July 1) a week, I have four children, and I'm not getting up at 5 a.m. (or earlier) to run outside before my husband leaves for work at 6:00 (I have, but I don't like it)...I'm usually up late (midnight on the average) and waking up early doesn't go well for me. I like my treadmill. I prefer running outside but I have made the best of inside running. Over the winter months I did all of my running on the TM, and I felt great with the first outside run in the spring. Running inside gives me the promise of a constant run, no traffic, no people, no bad weather. I do various types of runs on the TM, anything from a long run to varied incline runs to speed workouts. The speed workouts are great! When it's really hot outside, I can safely run inside, in my basement on the TM. As for being able to slow down as you can outside, I like being forced to keep up with whatever pace I set the TM to. I have discovered that I have more ability than I give myself credit for, and when forced, I can go faster. The treadmill does that. AND...when I do run outside (like my 6 miler tonight), I find that although the hills slow me down a little bit, I able to improve on my times. Without my treadmill I would be very limited with my chances to run and improve. Modified to add: Is my treadmill pace faster than my road pace? YES. I proved that with a 20:10 3 mile run on the treadmill and yet my best 5k road race time is 22:50. I don't mind it though, it sort of proves that I can reach my goal of a 21 minute 5k (race).

                                Michelle



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