We are in the depths of winter my friends. Some of you have already embraced the treadmill miles and are cruising comfortably right on through January. But many of you (including myself) would go to extraordinary lengths to avoid feeling like a caged hamster on wheel and do our best to bundle and spike up and go outside. No matter how intrepid you may be, sometimes the conditions are simply not safe for running, and especially for faster efforts without risk of falling or other types of injuries. But do the treadmill miles “count” the same as outside? Will it still produce the training effects we are looking for when things thaw out and racing comes back in the spring?
Looking into the research, there are a multitude of studies that indicate treadmill running is metabolically less demanding than running outside. That means it takes less energy for your body to carry you forward over a given distance on a treadmill versus the same distance when running outside (even when both are on a flat incline). There are many factors that contribute to this, and it becomes even more dramatic a change depending on the outdoor surface you are running on.
The movement of the belt of the treadmill sweeps the leg back, decreasing the energy required to move the body forward. This also changes the angle at which our knee and ankle come in contact with the belt, and tends to shorten stride length. The natural shortening of the stride can sometimes be helpful for those trying to increase their running cadence.
The controlled surface of the treadmill does not demand as much out of the stabilizing muscles of the leg, especially at the ankle/foot. This difference is most drastic when comparing treadmill running to running on trails or even sand, and less so but still significant on flat sidewalks or a track. This can work in favor of those coming back from an ankle or other type of injury that may need a more predictable/stable surface, but does not prepare you as well for racing on those surfaces out in the real world.
It is normal to have fluctuations in pace throughout even an easy run when outside. Because the treadmill locks in at one consistent pace and the body cannot adjust as it feels, it’s suspected that this is part of the reason treadmill running tends to feel more challenging than running outside at similar speeds even if it averages out to the same pace.
Not all treadmills are calibrated correctly. If paces feel significantly different than they do outside, it’s most likely because they are. You cannot reliably trust the paces on the screen to match the speeds you would be going outside, especially on treadmills at a gym or athletic club that get lots of use and are not serviced regularly.
Given the higher demand of outside running, research indicates that the training effects can be greater when the majority of runs, especially key workouts/speed sessions are done outside. To better mimic outside running, some studies suggest that using a 1-1.5% incline as your baseline even for “flat” or easy runs better represents the demand of outside runs.
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This does not mean that treadmill miles are useless! When compared to other forms of cross training such as the elliptical or bike, the treadmill is a clear winner in providing the most comparable demand on the body to outside running. Even runners who train exclusively on treadmills can still perform well when racing outside, and running indoors can have it’s benefits. It provides a very stable, predictable environment for runners coming back from injury who may be concerned with balance or are not yet ready for a changing surface or inclines/declines. It allows continued safe training even when outside conditions may not allow for it, especially at higher speeds. The movement of the belt naturally encourages a higher running cadence, and makes it easy to practice running with a metronome or other cues to make corrections to running form. Treadmill runs can also feel subjectively more challenging, especially for runners who spend the majority of their time running outside, and it can be argued that they help build mental toughness and an opportunity to work through a higher perceived level of exertion than you would normally feel at a given pace.
The bottom line is that if safety (falling, hypothermia, muscle strains/tears) is a concern, I would highly recommend defaulting to the treadmill. The differences in demand on your body won’t matter on race day if you fall and miss the chance to even make it to the start line. And if you are like me, I feel that I often bank MORE mental toughness points by having to live in my own head on the treadmill without the distractions of outside. From a coaching standpoint, if it is safe to do so, I encourage key workouts, especially that involve time at race pace, to be done outside. Subjectively, I believe it can be difficult to learn how to “feel” paces by listening to your body’s cues when you can “set it and forget it” by just following the treadmill. In addition, I find that many athletes are often surprised by what they can accomplish during a big workout or long run when they give themselves the opportunity. Studies show that we tend not to go faster than the set pace when on the treadmill vs being able to push more when outside. That being said, there is absolutely a time and place for treadmill runs and it is helpful to understand when you should default to one or the other.
Hope this helps guide your choices better for winter training, and as always, happy running!