Why Is Treadmill Running So Difficult For Me?

And most calculators have this closer to 15s/mile. Personal preference here, but if I'm running a LT or faster workout on the TM, I'd rather speed up the pace than increase the incline to make up for this. I'd prefer to have my body practice running faster, which is my overall goal, rather than getting better at running uphill.

Ditto. I think there's value in practicing that turnover. It complements track workouts nicely.

Though there's also a place for long uphill reps on the treadmill. I like them when I'm trying to get a third quality day in, or if I'm out of shape and I don't want to worry about my exact pace. Just crank it up until my breathing gets heavy but manageable. It ends up being a major aerobic stress, but the legs feel fine the next day.

You're indoors. The air is not only generally warmer than is comfortable for running (ideal temperature is 40-60°F), but there's no passing breeze because you're technically stationary on a treadmill, which compounds how warm your body gets.

Most people struggle with treadmill running for this reason. People who do it for all their running have no idea how well conditioned they are relative to other runners, from having basically heat acclimated.

I like the dreadmill.

Treadmills force your stride to be reactionary which will increase your ground contact time. The belt sets the pace and you make a million micro adjustments to stay in the same place. When you're outside you don't need to be making any of the subconscious adjustments and your stride is more snappy and you dictate each step.

Another factor is heat buildup but I feel the effort is harder before I hit a minute. You also lose energy on bouncy treadmills contrary to what another poster said. Some energy that otherwise would propel you forward at a certain pace is lost and distributed to the "give" in the treadmill

Because treadmills are evil and will only injure you. Seriously. Every time I train on one I get popped with some weird injury. It only gets worse the older you get.

I have come to conclusion its better to cross train on those days where weather is brutal.

This needs to be pointed out: The environment will not be cool at all for the vast majority of treadmill users, who will either be using one at a 3rd party gym or in their home. In a home if you control the thermostat it will be at least 70-72°F at best, and in a gym it will probably be more like 75-77. It will be warmer than ideal to start, and once everything physiological you previously described kicks in the workout/run will be very difficult.

The pace adjustments most charts give for treadmills are far too conservative for most. Turnover specific work should be reserved for intervals or tempo runs. Most may be better off running by heart rate and slowing down further as needed, or keeping their treadmill sessions short. The warming effect you experience when running compounds greatly on the treadmill in most situations.

Sure, if you're in a cold garage it's much better. The vast majority of people will never have that.

I have the same problem as OP - easy pace 7:30 outside, 8 min pace on most treadmills. I think a lot of good answers have been given like this one and 800 dude- very sweaty person so the heat gets to me and my stride also feels unnatural on the treadmill.

Last year I ran 20 x 400 w/ 60s rec. on the track averaging 68s, and a week later was forced to do my workout on the treadmill instead due to rain, but found that the same effort yielded around 5:30-5:40 pace for minute pickups.

I had to train on a treadmill for basically all of my mileage and workouts during an indoor season. Only time I ran outside or on a track was on meet day. I got in the best shape of my life just grinding through the discomfort. Mile repeats on a treadmill will make you grow up really quick.

Are you sure the machine is turned on when you use it?

A treadmill really isn't this complicated.......

Well then perhaps half the posters need to start doing them.

I ran on a Woodway recently and it was insanely better than the usual crappy ones

Thanks for the responses. A few takeaways of mine:

1. I run on the treadmills in my college rec center so the quality of them probably isn’t very good. The only other ones I’ve used are similar ones at commercial gyms so I wouldn’t know what “luxury” ones feel like.

2. I have a feeling that a lot of my treadmill difficulty stems from my biomechanics. I forefoot strike with a low cadence which I could see affecting the energy return I get on treadmills. I say this because other runners that I talk to in my area have no difficulty hitting their prescribed workout paces on the same treadmills.

3. Most of the time I give up on running on the treadmill and just do laps around the flat 200m indoor track at my rec center. I’m not sure if 200m is completely accurate but my effort usually matches my pace so I go off of it.

I think the second point may be on the money based on my very small sample (n=2). We have a treadmill, my partner and I are similar levels of running (~17 mins 5k). I'm a filthy rear foot striker with a bouncy stride and absolute fly along on the treadmill, it just feels like I'm bouncing along. Meanwhile she (mid/forefoot striker) who is more of a high cadence runner finds it really difficult and says it feels like it's insanely fast.

I have run on high end treadmills in certain gyms to my inexpensive one at home with no real issue as compared to running outside. Back in the early 00's, some b&b's i stayed at had real old treadmills that were horrible. They were like running on rocks...somehow firmer than the road.

Didn't read through anything but are you running with an incline & what is your setup like? There was a recent study that debunked the need to put your treadmill to 1%, like is often preached, so you don't need to be doing that. Do you have some really good fans & some good entertainment to distract you? Do you have a dehumidifier? Everybody's body type is different. You might find indoor conditions relatively tougher. You might be working a good bit harder if you don't have a good fan going & expect to be able to do the same as outdoors in cool weather with wind resistance. Maybe give those things consideration & take good heart rate data. Go off of that to make sure you're not overdoing it.

You stated the person's pace outside is off because it doesn't correlate to the times ran on the treadmill. I then said I disagree. No need for insults.

FWIW I have a Sole F80 at home. I run my easy runs around 9:30/mi outside. On the treadmill, I have to run at 10:45/mi to keep the HR the same. At my gym, I run on True treadmills and perceived effort is a little bit closer to outside but still harder. Just saying that I can relate. I just don’t pay attention to the treadmill pace anymore—just HR and perceived effort. That mental approach alone has helped me significantly to remain consistent during treadmill season in Nebraska.

I have the same issue. Old guy, so my easy pace outdoors is about 8:30-8:40/mile, but on the treadmill 7 mph seems like more than an "easy" effort. So, rather than fight it, I use treadmill days (mostly dictated by when conditions are somewhat treacherous) to run slow and get my run in while quasi-recovering.