Comparison of running on treadmill versus the road

Does nobody run on Treadmills?

I have done some running on treadmills, but I hate it. I can't do more than 4 miles on a treadmill without just getting sick of boredom... even if I have something to listen to. I also feel like I can't do as much on a treadmill. When I was running back in January and February I could've gone out and done 4 miles, but on a treadmill it was a nightmare just trying to get 2 done for some reason.

If you want to find out how to correllate and outdoor pace to a treadmill, I would recommend getting a device that calculates your speed based on a chip in your shoe. Calibrate it running outside and then take it and run it on a treadmill.

Good luck,

Through just trial and experience, I have found that I burn more calories (which presents itself as greater weight loss) when I'm running on the roads or indoor track relative to the treadmill. I've always attributed this to the fact that the treadmill acts as a springboard of sorts: whenever you plant your foot, the plastic/rubber has enough sponginess that it helps relaunch your foot. When you run outdoors, however, you have to create all of the forward motion yourself which, of course, requires greater energy expenditures. It's quite comparable to running on a "boardwalk" at say, Atlantic Beach, NJ or Ocean City, MD. When you're running on these planks of wood, it feels like you're running fast and with minimal energy expenditure. It's the result of the "springiness" of the boards that helps in relaunching your foot. There's a small study out that compares walking on a treadmill versus outdoors and it found that you use 10% more energy outdoors (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:AUJZEkxIrNMJ:stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oa...

The other major issue with treadmills is that you really aren't dealing with a lot of wind-resistance. This often makes the treadmill runner feel like they're overheating due to the lack of evaporation. This is evidenced by the fact that I'm always far sweatier when I run on a treadmill versus outside. Much like running on a hot summer day, whenever you have to deal with heat there's an increase in exhaustion and a decrease in performance. Hence, this could be why you might feel like you can't run quite as far on a treadmill. This can be remedied, though, by directing a fan on you while you run.

The bounciness of the treadmill does have some advantages, though. One of which is it's gentler on your legs/feet which is especially helpful to those of us who are recovering from injury.

Regards,
Joe

Regardless of any "bounciness" of the surface, treadmill running is easier because you aren't moving your body over distance. The tread keeps moving whether there is anyone on it or not. You basically pick up your feet and put them back down again while the tread moves underneath you. You are literally running in place.
When you really run, you have to move forward. That's harder.

the comment on the wind resistance is correct. the idea that you can just pick up your feet and put them down is false. When you run on a treadmill you have to push forward the same as on a road. If you do not run fast enough, off the back you go. On most true calibrated treadmills you should increase the incline by 1.0 to 1.5 to match the lack of wind resistance.
Master runner

This is new research. It's all about the light. You must read the attached link.

It is easier to run in more light, has noting to do with the treadmill. Being outdoors exposes you to more near infrared light and that produces more ATP. Cytochrom C-Oxidase needs infrared light to make ATP (the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain).

If you run in poor lighting, you may be easily overtraining, not loosing weight and not making progress.

Also, the more fit you are, the more mitochondria you have, and the more light absorbent your muscle becomes, causing an increasing need for near IR light.
Scott Dayton

It is simply not true that on a treadmill you need to "push forward the same as on a road." Yes, you do need to put one foot in front of the other. If you don't do that, you will go off the back of the machine. But it is not necessary to push yourself forward, only to move each foot in front of the other in turn.
Concerning air resistance, consider the difference between running alone and "drafting" on another runner. This can be a significant difference at high speeds or when running against high winds, but it is hardly noticeable at lower speeds in no wind. However it is always noticeably easier to run on a treadmill.
I'm not saying that air resistance is not a difference between treadmill running and running over ground. Indeed it is. It is essentially the same difference I was pointing out. When you are on a treadmill, you are not moving ahead, you are running in place.
The fact that the tread is moving underneath you complicates this a little. It's what makes a treadmill better at simulating running than just running in place on an immobile surface. You are being pushed back with any contact with the tread. The longer you are in contact with the tread, the more you are moved to the back of the treadmill. The more you keep moving at the proper pace, the more you can stand still.
I have no comment on running at night versus running during the day.

I am no expert but I will say that I can run faster and longer on any treadmill even at incline to adjust than I can run outside. I ran on a mill for about 6 months exclusively when recovering from injury, and my longest run on a Mill was 10 miles. I was indeed bored out of my mind, except that the people next to me were seemingly constantly changing.

Many people find the pre-set pace a bit difficult to deal with when using the Mill. My 6 months of boredom did teach me to pretty much keep a set pace and these days when running outside I can pretty much maintain a particular pace for a long period of time if I need to....prior to the mill, I had trouble getting an idea of how fast I was going.

I find running on the treadmill much easier than running outside, and actually had to re-train after my 6 months of TM running and back track on mileage. Others have had different experiences.

I think that running on a treadmill is very much easier. There is no real variation in surface on a treadmill and yes you can set the incline but it is in no way the same as a run through the woods or on the road.
As for running in the light/dark i have never read such nonsense regarding calories e.t.c