Do you run faster on a TM or the road? (Read 1007 times)

Nice split on this thread. For a minute I was thinking I was crazy.

Definitely faster on the roads. I find the same effort takes longer on the threadmill. I think one of the factors, is that I also don't get a good long stride on the threadmill.

Not sure which one I run faster on. But one interesting experience I had last week while I was on a business trip was that the treadmill at the hotel seemed much harder than any of the treadmills at the local YMCA (various brands). The treadmill at the hotel was almost brand new and I tried two of them. I don't know if it has to do with calibration, or how soft the belt is, etc, but it seems you could get a big difference from one TM to another. - R

I usually do my TM running at 1% incline. TM running feels much harder, but my heart rate is about the same at a given pace whether it's TM or flat ground outdoors. So I think it's mostly psychological. So for me, the answer is road.

It's seems harder because it is harder! An incline is an incline. Lack of of air ventilationg also stacks up the fatigue. One thing about this discussion to keep in mind is, every TM is different. This cannot be an objective arguement since each manufacturer makes a different deck which we all know contact surface is all important. There are speed variances within the same models too. The overall environment flavors the perceived effort since it's both psychological and physiological. Treadmill can never equate to to any other running surface or environment so there's no need in trying to compare a Chevy to a Ford to a Lambourghini. Use TM as you would an elliptical, spin cycle or running bleachers for TRAINING EFFECT. Your benchmark is on the road where it counts whether it's your own time trial or an actual race.

I feel like I'm running the same pace on the TM, as outside. BUT, the TM says it I run a 13 minute mile, as my outside time is 10 mins/mile. In order to do a 10 minute mile on the TM, I have to run FLATOUT. Which is crazy. I run my normal pace, but just have to do an extra 10 or 15 minutes on the TM. Like I always say, I just don't believe my treadmill. It lies!!!!!!!!!

OMG, I feel exactly the same way. I have decided to go with how my heart feels: beating, pounding, rapidly pounding, or near death. It seems when I am either of the last 2 - I should look at the pace & see some exciting new number 6:00 perhaps, 6:30 not 10:00. Maybe our TM's are broken???