What are the differences of running on a treadmill verses outside?
Posted by Ray Gill
Filed under Running Answers
I have been running on a treadmill for a long time and love it and feel great. The other day I ran in a park and today my legs are very sore like I have never run before in my life. Do I need to run outside more?
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Yeah, treadmills aren’t anything like running on actual ground. For one, the treadmill is moving with you, unlike running on pavement where the ground is stationary and you’re moving against it. Also, treadmills don’t have terrain like parks do. They have hills and different surfaces that make it more difficult to run. I know treadmills have the ability to slope but not like an actual hill will. It also depends on what you ran on, if you ran on solid concrete, then that’s really bad for you, concrete is a lot harder than asphalt or grass. Grass is even better to run on because it’s softer and you don’t get as much friction so it’s harder to run on.
Well outside you have more challenges. A treadmill stays at the same ground level when running outside you go up hills, down hills, around corners, and the texture of the ground I harder. It is better to run outside than on a treadmill.
If you feel great and do not experience pain from your treadmill runs, then don’t worry about it. I would bet that there IS a different in your body mechanics, so that is why you felt different after an outside run. Maybe you could mix it up? But you already have agreat habit if you are working out at all – so no worries!
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Well when ur outside u have to push yourself forward, while with treadmills it moves for you, so on a treadmill, all you r really doing is lifting your legs up. Also, you don’t pound on treadmills as much as you pound on concrete.