Couch to Treadmill

[boranna]

What are your views on using a treadmill especially as the nights start drawing in?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum.

A treadmill offers an opportunity to build your running at any time, as long as you have a sizeable boredom threshold.

The transition to outdoors from the treadmill can take several runs, as you need to get used to pacing yourself, as well as uneven ground, gradients, weather, an ever changing environment and all the joys of running outdoors.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[Hidden]

I have run on a treadmill when I have been on holiday and its been too hot to go out. I have to say that I loathed every minute. It was really boring! Running outside in autumn/winter is awesome. However I know that there are people who always run on the treadmill and if it makes the difference between running and not running then, it is worth it I suppose.

Many people run in the dark. Personally I try and organise my days differently so that I can still go out in the light, but as I am self employed that is easy for me. Good luck, whatever you choose

[Ian5K Graduate]

I’ve used treadmills at the gym long ago and physically they were good. Safe to use and quite sophisticated, you could programme in a route as easy or as demanding as you wanted. It would alter the incline and the pace as you ran. You could even watch telly!

But it is a personal preference and I much prefer to be outdoors. Yes, as others have already said, I found it boring after a while.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Many people here use treadmills - indeed, many here have used the treadmill for the whole program, like me

Treadmills are incredibly useful in my opinion.

[Hidden in reply to John_W]

It is running but it’s not GREAT running

Try it and see 👍

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Try it? I run outdoors probably about 80% of the time. As for it not being 'great' running, I completely DISAGREE.

The sense of satisfaction after a hard, brutal 10k (soaking in sweat) or a controlled, steady heart rate 2 hour run is IMMENSE.

I love BOTH running outdoors AND indoors and have had enjoyed and had many GREAT runs on a treadmill.

I would have killed for one during TOTAL lockdown in Spain but instead resorted to running 3000 laps around a small terrace over the course of 4 weeks and eventually ended up injured. Wouldn't have happened without a treadmill.

It really does depend on your objectives.

Far too many are too quick to deride treadmills.

I LOVE TREADMILLS. ❤️❤️❤️

[Hidden in reply to John_W]

It is GREAT that you LOVE treadmills and CAPITALS an I wish you WELL

Just not WHAT I call RUNNING

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

"It is running but it’s not GREAT running"

Just responding in kind

There's nothing wrong in encouraging beginners to run outdoors.

But far too many here dismiss indoor running ("Just not WHAT I call RUNNING) - just adds to a negativity that nervous beginners, who chose to use a treadmill for their own reasons, simply don't need.

If running on treadmill helps them get going and then complete C25K (like i did), then all power to them, let's leave them be and we should do nothing but encourage them.

Different strokes for different folks. Just because YOU say treadmills aren't running, doesn't mean to say that others can't or shouldn't use them.

Running is running - indoors or outdoors.

[BradC Graduate]

I used a treadmill years ago, and apart from being boring, I found it much easier than running outdoors. I read somewhere that you should set the treadmill to a 1 degree gradient to make it closer to the real thing.

[Couchphoenix Graduate]

I’d stick to running outside if possible, treadmills are a slog and don’t give you a sense of achievement when you’ve covered a good distance. I used to run on a treadmill a few years back and there’s no comparison to getting out there in the fresh air. There are chest torches you can buy, or choose a well lit route if possible.

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate]

I’m beginning to use my treadmill more now I’m back at work and I can’t get out in the mornings anymore (I’m up at 6.30 to get into work. I couldn’t manage any earlier! 😴) I also travel somewhere green to run so it takes more time than I’ve got in a busy week. The treadmill is convenient but really boring. I struggle to run for 30 mins straight so I tend to do the C25K+ speed podcast as the intervals add interest and it’s only 20 mins. It helps to increase my aerobic fitness and my pace too. I always get out for at least one run at the weekend.

[Hidden in reply to Frizzbomb67]

You could run two treadmill runs during the week and a nice outside run at the wee

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Say hello to Eamonn Baxter who's run all 6 Abbott Major marathons (London, Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo) and does ALL his training on a treadmill: (cc Hidden )

hse.ie/eng/about/our-health...

[Sharklet69 Graduate]

I prefer outdoor running but used a treadmill for wk9r1 as I pay gym membership and it had recently reopened after lockdown. Using Aftershockz meant I could still hear the awful music that's pounding out, and the TV wasn't working so I ended up trying to lip read my way through 30 minutes of Ghost on my phone without my glasses! All said, I completed the 30 minutes and felt great!!

Whatever works for you ☺️