Ironman

will running on the treadmill during the winter help me keep my running fitness?

I usually run outside but the weather is making it impossible. I've been running mostly on the treadmill for the past month. I try to make them hard runs, when I go back to the road will it be hard to run?

Public Comments

1. What I do is pace myself and apply that pace to the treadmill. For example, if you usually run a ten minute mile, set the treadmill to 6 MPH. When you fell you're ready to advance set it to 7, etc. If you keep this up you should be pretty well on track when the season starts again. Good luck!
2. Of course it will keep your fitness up. just run as long and as hard as you do on the road.
3. Yes! And probably improve it! Put the incline at 1.0 -- to make it equal with running on the road. Do lots of intervals...go faster than you think you can ... and when you get back on the road...you'll be a faster runner!
4. I've owned a treadmill for about 24 years. You can get a great workout on one, and get into very good shape while waiting for the weather to allow outdoor running. I've done it myself for many years, with good results, but there are a few things to be aware of. First, treadmills have a softer surface than outdoors on paved roads, so it will take a little time for your legs to get used to the extra pounding of outdoor running. Second, most people tend to take shorter strides on a treadmill, so when you move to outdoors, you might have to break this habit. And maybe it's just me, but whenever I make the transition from many weeks of treadmill running to outdoors, it takes about a month before my stride feels smooth and fluid outdoors. Until then, I feel like I'm tripping over my own feet, and I feel like I can't lift my feet off the ground enough. Almost feels like I'm running uphill when I'm actually not. The good news is this feeling is the worst at the start of the runs, and by the last few miles, I almost feel back to normal.
5. Probably not. During the winter, I run everyday on treadmill at the same or faster pace than outdoors. I will also vary the incline to add difficulty. Upping the incline to 2-4% (keeping the same pace) will greatly increase the difficulty of the workout.
6. Remember that consistency will always beat distance workouts. As long as you keep running, your stamina will stay consistent. I would like to point out that in any weather, running is possible. The cold can be managed through many ways. Check out Runner's World.
7. increase the incline. if you put it around 2-3 on the incline it should feel the same.