Why does the Letsrunner think running on treadmill makes you less of a man?

RealCici wrote:

I agree with the OP. The treadmill can be an effective training tool. Next time I beat someone at the end of a race, I'm going to tell them that I'm a treadmill runner just to piss them off.

I'm going to tell them that I'm a synchronized swimmer.

Grenio wrote:

What's a 'k'? Real men do mile repeats.

Real men are part of the World, not some obscure tribe in Vinland.

down south wrote:

The rain actually cools you down..... wrote:

Are you joking?

I'm raining more sweat during a 20 mile treadmill run than the sky could ever pour on me outside.

I sweat plenty at 10 below. Just dress warmly. Treadmill is exercise, but it's not the same as running outside. Mentally it's hard to get out there in 10 below, in the rain, in 95, or at 5 am to avoid the heat, and that mentality translates into something useful, just as the mentality of always being comfy indoors on the treadmill with the tv and headset translates into something negative.

If you need to run in harsh conditions to simulate being 'uncomfortable' in a race, then you're bad at racing. Sorry but, you just don't have it.

MN weather wrote:

down south wrote:

I sweat plenty at 10 below. Just dress warmly. Treadmill is exercise, but it's not the same as running outside. Mentally it's hard to get out there in 10 below, in the rain, in 95, or at 5 am to avoid the heat, and that mentality translates into something useful, just as the mentality of always being comfy indoors on the treadmill with the tv and headset translates into something negative.

Please show a scientific study that shows running on a treadmill "translates into something negative."

Apparently you are reading challenged. I said the mentality translates into something negative, not the circumstance of the form of training.

However, I'm fairly sure that running on a variety of surfaces, some of them not so even, is good for the ankles and lower calves, although of course there are no studies showing it. I'm also fairly sure that the tremendously even changes of terrain on a treadmill translate into something negative vis-a-vis running. But no one studies this stuff. It's just experience. Also there has never been an elite runner who did his serious training on a treadmill.

ThatAverageRunner wrote:

down south wrote:

I sweat plenty at 10 below. Just dress warmly. Treadmill is exercise, but it's not the same as running outside. Mentally it's hard to get out there in 10 below, in the rain, in 95, or at 5 am to avoid the heat, and that mentality translates into something useful, just as the mentality of always being comfy indoors on the treadmill with the tv and headset translates into something negative.

If you need to run in harsh conditions to simulate being 'uncomfortable' in a race, then you're bad at racing. Sorry but, you just don't have it.

It's not simulating anything to actually do it. The idea of simulating difficulties ... you only develop mental toughness by experiencing difficulties. Anyone who has a hard job understands this. American mentality is that we can succeed doing everything in comfort. Learn to love being outside.

Again, don't know of any elite runners who train principally on a treadmill. See nothing wrong with using it for recovery or whatever if that's what floats your boat, or if you are getting a cold, or whatever. See no reason to ever use it either.

TeamIngebrigtsen wrote:

The Ingebrigtsens do a huge chunk of their training, including quality interval sessions @threshold pace on the treadmill. Unless you’re running your 1500s in 3:31 or faster, your opinions aren’t worth a cent

except that i have run sub 30, 45:30 for 15k and 1:05 1/2 and you are who u are. My opinions are worth oh 20k a year or $100 an hour for coaching that I offer. Be careful of remarks to those you have no idea about.

Yep the Ingebrgtsens are good but you are fine who you are....believe in yourself Johnny I am sure you will find your way.

for real wrote:

"running on the treadmill" is a misnomer. All you are really doing is standing in place and lifting your feet up and down while the belt moves under you. Has absolutely no application to actual running.

That is totally incorrect physics. The only difference between a properly calibrated treadmill and running outside is the lack of wind resistance. Note, speaking of the physics you reference you have to apply a force in the forward direction as well to keep you from being flung off the back. If what you said was true you’d never see those funny videos of people being flung off the back.

The treadmill is just very very mundane and will make a mile feel like 3 miles

I avoid the treadmill at all costs, unless it's icy outside. I don't think you gain anything by taking super short steps and trying to stop and catch your balance all of the time.

But as for wind, always run in the wind. These conditions help you get faster and stronger. Who cares about your times during a training session, it will pay off at the race. It's about effort not time when training, toughen up man.

This

https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20782221/how-chris-clark-broke-through/

MN weather wrote:

Please show a scientific study that shows running on a treadmill "translates into something negative."

Not science, but running on a treadmill means its plugged in, so you are using electricity to run. No need to use electricity to run outside.

Running on a treadmill means there is a treadmill, and energy and resources were use to construct and ship the treadmill. Less energy and resources used to run outside.

It all depends on the type of man you want to be.

Tristate wrote:

This

https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20782221/how-chris-clark-broke-through/

Yeah. Women are soft. I knew that.

People are just rationalizing. Because it's their livelihood, pros know best about these things. There's no pros who CHOOSE to run outside in cold/freezing weather. They head for warmer climes or hit the treadmill. If running in bad weather made them better runners they would all do it but no one does.

I used to be anti-treadmill and quite frankly kind of sucked at it. I had to worry about falling off, getting into rhythm and each mile felt like death. Now I can run 5-10 miles on it no problem and would rather do that than deal with slippery roads/trails, cold weather or stop/start running due to living in a city. Frankly, it's more fun when I can watch an entire half of NFL football and forget I'm even running. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on multiple running pants/tights/gear. I'm sure I won't become elite this way and I'll run outside on days when it's 50+, but in the winter I'll be on the treadmill and putting wagers on whatever basketball/football game is on as opposed to spending money to go out in the cold to do the same run in Central Park.

Les wrote:

People are just rationalizing. Because it's their livelihood, pros know best about these things. There's no pros who CHOOSE to run outside in cold/freezing weather. They head for warmer climes or hit the treadmill. If running in bad weather made them better runners they would all do it but no one does.

Because it does make you less of a man

Marshmallow Man wrote:

Because it does make you less of a man

I was going to run outside on lunch today for a hour like I do every day. It started hailing out and sticking to the roads.

I went back in side in the basement and ran hard on the treadmill and stared directly at a brick wall.

More of a man than you'll ever know.

Treadmill is often associated with overweight middle aged women who started "running" (or jogging) in order to lose weight. They have never competed in high school or college, and they enter "races" only for the finisher's medals and post-race refreshments. They are the most despised people on this board, possibly more so than ISIS or MS-13 members. The Letsrunners do not want to do anything that remotely relates them to the dreaded hobby joggers, so they relentlessly bash treadmills.

I don't think it makes you less of a man. I think it makes you a gerbil.

I used to run on the treadmill a lot in the winter, mainly because I'm soft when it comes to the cold.

I never thought much of it at the time, but it definitely lead to hip weakness which then lead to knee pain. You lack any side to side movements which strengthen your hip abductors and adductors. You definitely need to throw some off road trail running in your programme.