Treadmill not enough

[Fatboy1961]

Well..... first outside run today at Barrow park run. Week 9 run 3. Have done all my previous runs on a treadmill and I was expecting to do it easily. This turned out to be not the case.

I found the change extremely difficult, so much so that I didn't enjoy it much and had to walk quite a bit. I must add that everyone at the park run were very supportive. Although I have few aching muscles it hasn't put me off.

For me I have found that treadmill running doesn't give you the same level of fitness/ability as outside running. Anyway, on Monday I'm starting running outside. I'll claim my graduation run once I complete the park run non stop.

Good luck everyone

[islandrunner Graduate]

I'm a "returner" and this time around, did my runs on the treadmill until I got to the continuous runs, which I ran outside (last time around in 2015, all the runs were outside).

For me, I found running outside the same as the treadmill. Obviously we are all different though.

In fact now (2 months or so post graduation), and because it's so cold outside, I do 2 runs on the treadmill (a slow run, and a speed work interval run) and do my long run (currently up to 7k, building it back up to 10k) outside. I'm finding it fine to switch between treadmill and outside.

Maybe today was just a bad run day ? Were you running too fast, specially with others around you the tendancy might be to try and sprint ? On a treadmill, the pace is controlled, and obviously outside it's all down to you.

One thing I have noticed, is that on a treadmill even at a slow slow pace, you feel like you are eating up the miles, you can see the belt moving and although it might not feel like you are running fast necessarily, if feels like the miles are going by. Outside at a similar pace, the outside scenery doesn't zip past like you imagine it would (if that makes sense) !

I'm a slow runner, and if I use the treadmill at say 8:30 per km, that feels pretty fast, and you're pounding away on it, yet when I run outside at that pace, it's slow and the scenery doesn't fly by like I imagine it should.

Congratulations on getting this far, and given that you can run 30 mins on a treadmill I'm sure you'll nail it outside, just a matter of sussing out the differences.

[Fatboy1961]

Thanks for the response. I'm going to keep at it but definitely going to mix it up a bit. I found the treadmill quite easy managing 5k in 35 minutes hence my disappointment today. Maybe a bad day but I felt ok at the start, didn't have my playlist going though. Not giving excuses, just not ready yet. Different muscle groups aching now. Cheers Dave.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I don't suppose your fitness is actually very different than if you had run outside, but you are not used to uneven ground, gradients, weather, other runners and most importantly, pacing yourself.

Give yourself a few runs to transition and I am sure you will soon be fine with the glorious outdoors.

You will get there.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Great you ran your first parkrun. Is it possible you went too fast as that's one thing you need to watch. While on the treadmill your pace is set when outside you are in charge.

You should be so proud of yourself. 🤗🤗

[Madge50 Graduate]

Well done! You did a parkrun, ok, it didn’t go as you expected, but you did it. Running outside versus a treadmill is different, with uneven ground your feet, ankles and legs are adjusting on every step you take, and that takes time to get used to - not least slows you down (which is a good thing) .

Be proud, look what you’ve achieved

Getting outside, there’s a whole new world to explore, different routes, terrain, so well done for deciding to explore it.

You did great today, onwards, ever onwards.....😎👍👏

Mx

[Rogie55 Graduate]

Yep. Park runs have hills. I have only run outside, wind rain and sunshine. Tried. A treadmill and was so disappointed. You’ll love being outside. Good luck and well done.