Hi other new runners,
Can you advise if running on treadmills is really as bad as some of the articles I have read. I am new runner (since May) and am in my mid forties - I have never run up until now and having run on both road and cross country - the latter is definitely less painful for me. Road running causes hip and lower back pain. I invested in good trainers and my gait measured but to no avail. The current wet weather and dark nights does it make it difficult to cross country run. I have looked at my running posture, foot position and cadence but it is still painful. So much so that I would not be able to run two consecutive days.
I have therefore tried treadmill running (at 1% incline) and this has leaves me with no pain at all. I can run 3 days in a row with no issue. I also use a spinning bike which is I also find pain-free.
Therefore my question is that if I am currently to use treadmill for running - for the main aim of getting fit and increase my stamina - is it really as bad as all that if I find it less painful that road running? I am looking at purchasing a treadmill soon hence why I am asking as it is a lot of money to spend.
Once I am able to I will get our and restart cross country running - but I don't want to continue with road running as the pain is telling me that really isn't that good for me. But then I read conflicting articles telling me that treadmill running is worse and to get outside and run.....
Any helpful advise and similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Lucy.
Comments
My experience is that they are 95% as good as running. Excluding the ones that are too 'bouncy' and the ones that are unstable & wobble (both of which I think encourage injuries), then I find treadmills give me a good cardio workout. They're good for long intervals and for threshold runs, where you want to run to a set pace.
I don't find treadmill running dull, so that's not an issue for me. However, by their nature treadmills are very flat. The real world isn't. So I do find that I get a few weeks of aches and pains when I transition back to road running and my body gets used to all the small ups & downs, the adverse camber, etc of the real world. All those small muscles in the feet, ankle, hips & core need to get up to speed.
I also think that the running mechanics are a little different on a treadmill. It feels like the quads work harder and the hamstrings work less than running off the treadmill. I'm sure other people can clarify if that is the case.
But, all in all, I find treadmills give a workout that is very close to the 'real thing'.
I can't really comment on treadmills but If I were you I'd be trying to establish why you get back pain running on the roads. See a good physiotherapist could fix things. The obvious difference is the hardness of the surface but it might be something you could fix early on.
As an alternative you could buy a head torch (a lot cheaper) and run off road all year round. Depends on the area and what's available I guess, in terms of parks, grass & non scary trails!
Hi,
Thank you for the advice.
I have visited a chiropractor as have had back problems before - helped with the slipped disc pain but I still get twinges. I do have and have used a head torch but I do live out in the sticks and although was happy doing runs with the dog at dusk I am not so comfortable running at night. Plus it is very muddy and puddly right now. Happy when the weather is better to go back to cross country but think possibly what I need to try and do is gradually ease my body into road running. I am conscious of my running technique on the treadmill and try and keep to smaller strides without too much pounding or bouncing. Then I will do 1 smaller road run a week and longer ones on the treadmill and gradually increase my road runs. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon. Having not done it before I guess my body needs time to adjust.
I do look with envy at all you runners that I see who appear to run with lightness, speed and ease......I would so love to be like that but think this old bod will need some time, effort and TLC in order for this happen.
Thanks again.
I almost always run on roads and do about 40 miles a week over 5-6 runs. But this week, due to having to travel for 3 days for work, I ran on a hotel treadmill. I was only on it for 30 mins but I woke up the next day with really achey calfs. I figured it would be OK to run with this (since both legs ache, so it's DOMS rather than an injury), so have run yesterday and today. But would be interested to know if this is normal?! I ran 17 miles on the road last Sunday and the next day my legs felt absolutely fine!
never heard treadmill running to be bad, that sounds odd.
I've been using them recently at the gym for short runs and really like how you can run the next day knowing you are repeating the run under exactly the same conditions so can make better judgments about changing fitness.
i found it translated over from treadmill to outdoors running
Not a fan of treadmill although I did 5km yesterday. You should be well pleased with that first 10k result; looking good for working your way up to a half marathon. Don't be in too much of a hurry; consolidate your 10k, experiment with some faster 5k, keep it varied and fun. And don't forget to take some rest days! Happy running!
I've actually gone back to the treadmill more regularly over the last few weeks - I'm following a marathon training plan that requires weekly interval sessions, and I find it much easier to do those on a treadmill, where you can set the interval pace and the recovery pace, then just toggle between the two.
I'm glad to say that having looked up the Oxford half marathon and found out it is this weekend, I won't be doing it - this time. I will take your advice and get some 5ks in to speed things up and more 10s but I'm worried about turning up to some road races where everyone si a club runner. I'd rather stick to the bigger events with more novices I think.
Back to the subject of treadmills - I do think they got my body used to running at a steady pace but my mind is still trying to rush off too quickly. One big advantage of running on a treadmill is not having to work out whether a car that's not indicating is really going to turn or not.