Is running on a treadmill as good as running outside?
Yes, a treadmill run is a real run, and for most people the difference is about feel and pleasure rather than value. Without wind to push against, flat treadmill running is slightly easier than the same pace outdoors, which is why a one per cent incline is often used to even things out. Outside wins for scenery, variety and getting somewhere; the treadmill wins for darkness, storms, heat and exact control.
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Some runners talk about the treadmill the way people talk about instant coffee: useful, slightly shameful, not quite the real thing. We think that is unfair to both. A treadmill is a road that never ends and never rains, and on certain evenings it is the most civilised place to run in town.
How the two actually differ
The obvious difference is air. Outdoors you push through still air, plus whatever wind the day offers. On a treadmill the air stays still and the belt moves under you. A frequently cited study by Jones and Doust, published in the Journal of Sports Sciences in 1996, noted that the lack of air resistance makes treadmill running a little less costly at the same speed, and found that a one per cent incline brought the effort in line with running outdoors, at the speeds they studied.
The practical upshot is simple: if you want a treadmill run to feel like the road, nudge the incline up to one. If you just want to run, leave it flat and do not worry about it.
Other differences are about feel:
- Surface. The belt is smooth and predictable, with no kerbs, cobbles, roots or puddles. Lovely when you are tired; less interesting when you are not.
- Pace. The machine holds a speed for you. Outside, you set your own rhythm, which tends to drift with mood, hills and music.
- Turning and terrain. There are no corners, slopes down or uneven ground indoors, so outdoor running asks a bit more of your feet and balance.
- Heat. Without moving air, treadmill running can feel warm quickly. A fan and a drink at hand help a great deal.
When the treadmill is the better choice
- Dark winter evenings, especially if your usual routes are unlit. Our page on staying active in winter has more ideas.
- Storms, frozen pavements or dangerous heat, when outdoor running stops being fun and starts being foolish.
- Coming back gently, when you want a soft, even surface and the option to stop at any moment.
- Practising a steady pace, which is hard to feel outdoors and very easy to see on a display.
- Hills in a flat city. The incline button is the cheapest mountain you will ever buy.
When outside is the better choice
- For pleasure. Seasons, light, other people, the smell of a bakery at seven in the morning.
- For going somewhere. A run to the market, along the river, to meet a friend for coffee.
- For variety underfoot, which keeps running interesting and asks a little more of your balance.
- For races, since most of them, inconveniently, happen outside.
Making the treadmill less of a hamster wheel
- Set the incline to one and forget it.
- Change something every few minutes: a slight incline, a slightly quicker stretch, a slower one.
- Watch something, listen to something, or simply let your mind wander. All three are allowed.
- Start slower than you would outside. Treadmills reveal an overambitious start very quickly.
- Straddle the belt before you start and step on once it is moving at a walking pace. Use the safety clip if there is one.
FAQ
Does treadmill pace match outdoor pace?
Not exactly. Treadmills are calibrated differently, and the missing wind changes the effort slightly. Treat the number as a rough guide and go by breathing and feel, the same way you would on an easy run outside.
Is a treadmill easier on the legs?
It is certainly more predictable: no kerbs, cambers or uneven paving. How it feels depends on the machine and the person. If you are switching between the two, ease into whichever one is new to you.
Why do I feel dizzy when I step off?
Your brain has spent half an hour expecting the ground to move. A minute of walking on the belt at a slow speed before you stop, then a short walk around, usually settles things. If dizziness persists or worries you, speak to a doctor.
Can I do all my running on a treadmill?
You can, and plenty of people do, happily. If you have a race outdoors coming up, it is worth doing some runs outside too, so your feet meet the real surface before the day.
Sources
Written by the Zestasy editors. General information for curious adults, not medical, nutrition or training advice.