Treadmill Exercise Question

[EMHDad]

I had my last conditioning 30 min run/walk for the week today. It is freezing outside and I just couldn't get the will up to go running outside. Instead, I went to the Y and ran on the treadmill. I could only go 1.6 miles before I had to stop. I finished the workout by going to the gym and running laps around it. I did not really run harder on the treadmill than otherwise. However, I was experiencing a lot of aches and pains in my legs that I don't get on my usual runs.

Anyone have some ideas as to why? I was running the treadmill as normal as possible. I ran with my back straight and stayed off the front or sides. Is the a way one is supposed the run the treadmill? Is it not a good alternative to running of a treadmill? Anyone else experience this problem?

 

[cewait]

All I can think is that you were running with a different stride..... that happens to most runners on a mill; regardless of whether we realize it or not. Also, the treadmill keeps a constant pace where you may regularly not keep to a constant pace. Speaking of pace... you may have been running much faster than you thought. No club ever calibrates speed. I used to have a member of my running group who would come to class 30 minutes early to assure that she got a specific mill. One day I ran on it and had an amazing increase in pace. The thing indicated a speed about 1 mph faster than actual (or my feeling of actual)...

 

[EMHDad]

I appreciate the thoughts. I have no idea why, but your comments make sense. I will say that I am staying away from the treadmill from now on. Ill just run on my own.

 

[FireDancer]

I find the treadmill grueling and it is hard for me to suffer through 3 miles on one yet I did both of my 20 milers for marathon weekend in a snow storm. I think it is mostly mental, at least in my case, but I feel your pain.

 

[EMHDad]

Thanx. I agree. Although, I pray I can make it to January with no massive snow storms (in IL) lol. I know its a pipe dream.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

My stride is definitely different on the treadmill than when I run outside. I started to do intervals on the treadmill and noticed a big difference. You just have to find a program on the treadmill or try the intervals to figure out what works best for you. There is always going to be a difference but I was able to even it out a bit so that I could rely more on the treadmill for training. You may want to experiment with inclines, the hill program, etc. to see if you notice any difference. Good Luck!

 

[cewait]

]

I was actually headed the other way with my comment. One really needs to work on stride on the mill so that they stride mirrors the outside stride. It's tough because visually you think you are going to overrun the front and mentally fall off the back. One needs to gain the trust of the mill and move to the center (front and back) of the tread and run. A great test of how calibrated the mill speed is is to run by HR and ignore how fast or slow you are running. Never run on the mill at 0, set elevation @2% so you simulate the air friction effects.

 

[SAHDad]

]

I was actually headed the other way with my comment. One really needs to work on stride on the mill so that they stride mirrors the outside stride. It's tough because visually you think you are going to overrun the front and mentally fall off the back. One needs to gain the trust of the mill and move to the center (front and back) of the tread and run. A great test of how calibrated the mill speed is is to run by HR and ignore how fast or slow you are running. Never run on the mill at 0, set elevation @2% so you simulate the air friction effects.

Actually, depending on which studies you look at, you need to either set it at about 1% (or .5%), or, 0%. A few studies show that air friction effects occur when you are running about 6.5 mph, others (with larger sample sizes) have it occuring when you are running about 11 mph. If you know what your HR is on an outside (flat) run, or at least your perceived effort, simply adjust the treadmill speed and incline until you have the same heart rate and/or percieved effort.

 

[EMHDad]

However, no one is saying the treadmill running is needed, right? I can just continue to run outside, or laps inside, right? Thanx for the support

 

[cewait]

However, no one is saying the treadmill running is needed, right? I can just continue to run outside, or laps inside, right? Thanx for the support

It's a tool in your box. I live on a coastal plan so the 'best' hill I can get within an hour of the house is a parking garage. Even then I can only get 2-3 minutes before having to head down. On a mill I can go the entire hour.

I also use mine in August for long runs.... I just do not do well on a 12 mile run when the feel real temp is 84F at 5 am.

Laps can also be an issue. turning left (or right) all the time or for an entire long run overworks the outer leg. Hopefully, you club alternates directions hourly and not just daily. Or worse, never changes direction.

 

[SAHDad]

However, no one is saying the treadmill running is needed, right? I can just continue to run outside, or laps inside, right? Thanx for the support

As Coach said, it's just another tool in the box. I use mine for three reasons:

1) intervals & tempo runs. The 'mill won't let me slack off on the speed, which can happen outside.

2) hills. I can find hills locally, but the 'mill lets my cycle through higher inclines than I might easily find otherwise.

3) I have kids. The Y has treadmills and free child care, so long as I am in the building.


I do try and get in runs outside, and (with luck) tomorrow will be a long trail run, but for me, it sometimes is resorting to the hamster pad or nothing.

 

[Starseeker1221]

All I can think is that you were running with a different stride..... that happens to most runners on a mill; regardless of whether we realize it or not. Also, the treadmill keeps a constant pace where you may regularly not keep to a constant pace. Speaking of pace... you may have been running much faster than you thought. No club ever calibrates speed. I used to have a member of my running group who would come to class 30 minutes early to assure that she got a specific mill. One day I ran on it and had an amazing increase in pace. The thing indicated a speed about 1 mph faster than actual (or my feeling of actual)...

This is probably not a question that can be easily answered without actually watching someone run, but this thread caught my attention because when I run on a treadmill, I almost always end up with my left foot starting to go numb about 20 minutes into my run.... and this never happens when I'm running outside. (Same shoes, similar pace, etc).

Does anyone have similar issues or any thoughts on how I can alter/correct my treadmill running to avoid this?? Or even what I might be changing in my stride to cause the problem in the first place??

 

[jbucci]

My only additional thought is that with the TM you are doing the exact same thing over and over. When you are outside your foot lands differently depending upon how level the surface is. You constantly make adjustments for incline, ground texture, etc. On the TM is does not vary so those muscles never get a little break.

 

[EMHDad]

Good thoughts. I think ill try a little here and there on my conditioning runs and slowly experiment. Like only doing 10 min on the tm and finishing the run outside.

BTW, what do people mean by 'my club'?

 

[cewait]

A little off topic.

Any one ever George Jetson on a mill? I have had two accidents on a mill. One running intervals where I was stepping on the sideboards while the mill slowed and then resumed at my recovery speed. I lost the remote for the tv (not that I was watching but for the noise) and stepped all the way off to pick it up. In the mean time I had failed to actually slow the mill. So as I planted my first foot on the belt slam bang off the back I went.

The other was on a Woodway treadmill. By far one of the best treadmills ever built due to the dozer track tread design. But they have one little nasty habit where the track does not always fall flat as it rolls back to the top...this leaves a small little bump. Normally not an issue unless you are tiring and not lifting your foot. I snagged a toe and again went flying off the back. Yikes.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

It's a tool in your box. I live on a coastal plan so the 'best' hill I can get within an hour of the house is a parking garage. Even then I can only get 2-3 minutes before having to head down. On a mill I can go the entire hour.

I also use mine in August for long runs.... I just do not do well on a 12 mile run when the feel real temp is 84F at 5 am.

Laps can also be an issue. turning left (or right) all the time or for an entire long run overworks the outer leg. Hopefully, you club alternates directions hourly and not just daily. Or worse, never changes direction.

Another Texan! How do you prepare for long runs on the treadmill? Mentally I've always struggled at it, but if I ever want to go for C2C, I'd have to do the long runs inside. I'm not willing to get up at 5am simply to beat the sun but still end up running in humid heat.

 

[ironz]

I'm in TX, too, and I'll just mostly suck it up for long runs rather than go on the treadmill. Also, planning when the races are helps. (oh, yeah, but I didn't really train for the DL half--haha! Just went on base fitness).
I actually prefer to run in the evenings in the super hot days in TX...it's warmer temperature-wise, but at least in Austin, (maybe not Houston) the humidity does go down, so it's a hot run, but not as "sticky." Just a tradeoff for temp vs humidity.

I do a lot of work in Alaska and Oregon, though, and definitely have to do treadmill time due to weather, daylight (not an issue now!), time constraints. I don't love it, and that's when the ipod comes out. I did do a strong tempo interval workout the other day and could maintain a consistent pace that I don't think I could have held on the road.

I set the incline at 0.5 or 1%.

I do notice that I hurt in different places when I run on the mill...I like the theory that a PP said...you are constantly repeating the same motion rather than adjusting to the road or trail. Also, I wonder about the difference in stride because you are on a moving object (the belt) as opposed to the Earth.
Have never flown off the back, though I wondered if I would one time doing a hill simulation workout with some 2:15 minute 8% hills. Thankfully, I have plenty of real hills at home and on the road when the weather is good so I can mostly do those outside.

 

[cewait]

Actually, I do headout for a few runs if I am working on an August/Sept and some Oct events. You really need to feel the heat of race day in training.

If it's for a later fall race it's on the mill. I usually have 3-4 movies that I have ready to watch, thoguh I limit my TM time to 90-120 minutes. Any longer than that I go stir crazy

 

[ironz]

My run the other day was 90 min on the treadmill. That was pushing it, but the intervals broke it up for me.

Now I have done up to 4 hours on the trainer for the bike... And there might be more of that with this IM build, depending on weather and if I feel safe to ride in the little town I travel to for work (not many roads and not super conducive to good biking). We'll see!

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Actually, I do headout for a few runs if I am working on an August/Sept and some Oct events. You really need to feel the heat of race day in training.

If it's for a later fall race it's on the mill. I usually have 3-4 movies that I have ready to watch, thoguh I limit my TM time to 90-120 minutes. Any longer than that I go stir crazy

I would but I'm susceptible to heat I feel the heat even when I'm inside on the treadmill with the fans on.