A treadmill isn't real running, right?

How did these people record their run and upload it to strava? Assuming it was a running watch, which is terrible at determining pace for indoor runs. The most likely thing that happened in this 2 instances you mentioned is that their watches recorded a much faster time than what they had the treadmill set to.

I think the original poster is looking a bit to far into this. I mean, first who gives a crap. Treadmills are a training tool for one and they can be off, and if you're using a garmin to measure the distance then it's really off. Second, define real running, Third your HR is still getting up to where it should be in comparison to outdoors in order to get a training affect, and Fourthly why do we really have to criticize and nitpick other peoples training and strava posts... I miss the day when our training logs were on paper and private only to us..

I basically followed a standard week where I did 2/3 workouts(Long tempo and LT repeats) on the treadmill as well as 3 easy runs of about 60mins. The longrun I did outside on pavement and a faster workout(10k-5k pace) I did on an indoor track.

The biggest reason I used the treadmill was that it was easier to get the training done without having to think about slipping on black ice or catching a cold. The ability to see clearly how you improve from week to week when the conditions are identical is also good, because then there is nothing to blame a bad workout on.

The long run was done outside to prevent boredom and the faster workout was on the track because I think it's better to feel the ground when you are going faster.

Treadmill running is one more tool for training. It's very helpful in controlling pace and incline without dealing with cars, dogs, or rain. No one wins races based on treadmill or Strava times, so I wouldn't worry too much about what you see others reporting.

I do the overwhelming majority of my running on the treadmill. 40-50 a week.

Why? Easier on the joints. Plain and simple.

But when you transition to the road you really feel it in your legs. So if you are training for a race make sure you have some road work outs!

Same. No matter what treadmill I am on, my paces are a good 60 sec/mi to 90sec/mi slower on the treadmill for the same effort and HR outdoors, even at 0% incline. My easy day pace outside, feels like a fast workout on the treadmill and my HR reflects the tougher effort.

Me? I just jump up and down and let the belt move past.

For me anyway, this is much easier and not the same as running. Maybe your experience is different.

It's definitely real running OP. Lots of pros do treadmill training. You see a lot of the Norwegians (runners + triathletes) doing sessions on the treadmill. Easier to control effort/pace & do testing.

As for the examples you gave, it just sounds like they're underperforming in races for whatever reason or ready to go a little faster. Small differences like maybe not adding in any incline could be worth a little bit of extra time. With times around 20:00, they have room to make gains with more consistent training. Not unrealistic for someone like that to cut off some time if they haven't raced recently.

The question is how does it affect you & why are you bothered by it enough to start a thread on it?

Me too! Then I realized I could do the same thing for my outdoor running, since the surface of planet Earth is really like a giant treadmill belt spinning at about 1000mph. Now I just stand in the street and jump up and down, and Earth does all the work for me.

You do have to make sure you're facing the right direction, though. Otherwise, when you start jumping up and down, you'll go backwards.

Why do you care?

If I haven't been on a 'mill in a while this is what I feel for the first few runs back. When I was on scholarship, I had reason to run in the cold. Now, I'll skip it for the mill. I don't feel a difference after doing the VAST majority on the treadmill

As mentioned treadmills are just another tool that many find useful in their training.

I will do tempo and steady state runs on a treadmill if the weather is bad, (more along the lines of too friggin hot here in TX in the summers!)

I was introduced to the treadmill use by a guy a lot smarter than me (and many LR posters!), Mike Scannell back in 2005. He did a lot of his longer workouts (tempos and steady state) on the treadmill due to road conditions, early hours, etc. I've taken some of his tips/practices and continued to follow them.

• I don't over think incline, the difference that 1 % grade makes isn't worth the strain I've gotten on the Achilles, so I just have always kept it flat
• I don't worry about distance equivalents, calibration etc, If I have a 30 min tempo or steady state run I monitor HR and stay in the correct Zone, this is also the only time I really pay attention to HR.
• I don't run in training shoes, rather I will switch to a pair of racing flats, or at least a light weight shoe I like for tempos and faster paced stuff. Trainers seem to feel "clunky" and it seems to be easier to maintain a better cadence and foot strike in the "go fast shoes"
• I rarely if ever do easy runs on a treadmill, it just sucks!
• Good playlist is a must!

I've never been a competitive runner, so there's that. But for me the one thing that makes treadmill running easier on a tempo or harder kind of run is that the treadmill sets the pace and you don't have to do anything but lock in. It takes additional levels of effort (physical, mental, whatever) to monitor and maintain a tougher pace outside.

I would say that slower/easy runs are harder for me on a treadmill. Mentally it's just tougher vs. being outside.

What. Are you saying that 7:00 pace on one feels like 8:30 for the other (tread vs. outside running). No way, man. That's a huge difference.

It totally depends on the machine too... not all treadmills are created equal and not all are calibrated the same, nor are they in the same condition.

I've been in gyms were I only 'agree' with 1 or 2 out of 10 machines (in an effort to pace ratio). When I don't get my preferred machine (in those yesteryears) I'd have actually forgone my run and either tried to stare at my machine waiting for an opening or see if I could run outside later.

Put the average person on a woodway and see how well they think of the pace.

It's not always easier. I find I'm running faster and freer with the same HR outside. It's also 30 degrees warmer in my house than outside. I think the heat makes up enough for wind resistance.

And also going by HR (and effort) for me at least on my home machine 1% is way way harder than outside. 0.5% is fairly close but 0.00% is fine enough.

For instance this winter I had to run 2 weeks straight indoors and then going outside noticed no slowdown or increased effort.

As mentioned before I have a woodway, so there's that. Much more comparable to outside running.

Excellent point. I wish I'd have thought of that ... I'll try that tomorrow... must remember to face west though... or is it east????

During COVID I heard that Rupp only ran two places, his treadmill and the Nike Campus. If it’s good enough for him it’s more than good enough for me

Odd that you don't understand what happens when your foot makes contact with the belt. Does it stay in the same place? It must because you're only going up and down (aka running on the spot). Or maybe you don't actually land on the belt and just float above...