Treadmill to street: request for advice

[Langata_S]

I used the treadmill for all but one c25k run (in week 8 I think) but I will be moving shortly and will have to give up my treasured gym membership. So I'm looking for advice from anyone who started exclusively on the treadmill and has successfully switched to the great outdoors. On the treadmill I can manage a 30 minute 5K but I am concerned that I won't know how to pace myself without the machine.

[Joh2020 Graduate]

I did the whole C25K on a treadmill but on my 1st outdoor run I could only run for 5 mins! Turns out I was running way too fast. Daft as it sounds, I think you have to put in more effort on a treadmill.

I used the free Runkeeper app which you can set to tell you your speed etc every minute if you want. After the 1st few outdoor runs I could pace myself easily.

Good luck & let us know how you get on!

[Irishprincess Graduate]

I did most of the programme on the treadmill in the gym and then ventured outside, never to return inside! I posted about the transition at the time so you might find it useful now.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

My only advice for you is to run very, very slowly when you first go outside as it's harder to pace yourself after the treadmill as you say. Run slower than you think you should and give your body time to get used to the different surface. I ran for 20 minutes when I first went outside and built up from there and I was fine but just judge how your body feels and don't push too hard. Enjoy!

[rmnsuk Graduate]

I've done all of c25k on the treadmill, then done 9 parkruns (outside). but still do most runs on the treadmill. Pacing isn't too difficult especially if you have an i-phone (useless on the treadmill). I also got a garmin fr 15 cos basically I hate phones (again not much use on a treadmill without a footpod). So long as you don't need to know your pace exactly and correct to the second that's more than enough.

I learned pretty quickly how fast to go and when to speed up etc. You just have to listen to your body particularly how laboured is your breathing and how much effort are you prepared to put in.

[Langata_S]

Fabulous. Thanks to all of you, I was in danger of letting the gremlins win this one but knowledge is power, and all that. I'll look into the Runkeeper App and try a tester run before I have to say goodbye to the gym, maybe then I'll avoid the temptation to give up!

[Tomas Graduate]

Just remember that while you probably have a personal TV screen in front of your treadmill in the gym, the same will not be the case for the great outdoors. You could consider hiring someone to run with a telly on their back in front of you (I would suggest flatscreen, anything else would be mean!), but please do not attempt to run with the TV in the hands yourself

[Langata_S in reply to Tomas]

That has really made me laugh, thank you! I don't tend to watch the screen during my jog but I do fix on a single spot on the wall opposite, I hope I don't fall over when I actually have to look where I'm going!