Does Treadmill running count as mileage?

nobody ran on a treadmill in the 1970's becuase they weren't generally available you moron. In the 1980's and later you can find evidence of World Record holders and accomplished runners using treadmills. I'll name a few:

1. Ingrid Kristiansen

2. ALberto Salbizzare

3. Benji Durden

4. Kenny Martin

5. Anne Trason

treadmills are great because if you live in flat area like the midwest you can run long hills, slow hills, or do a hill climb, if theres a foot of snow outside you can do a tempo run at 5min pace, if you need a recovery run you can strap on a heart rate monitor and run at the same recovery effort as outside (on 2%). HOw can this be bad for you?

Uh, Jack Daniels and a host of other Excercise Physiologists will tell you that it is in your head.

That a properly calibrated treadmill at 1% is equal to land running.

I still call bullcrap, I have witnessed too many runners of high caliber struggle mightly to run similar speed, as indicated by treadmill readout, as their typical outdoor training pace. And I have seen slow as puke runners relatively fly on treadmills.

Treadmills effect runners in very individual ways, probably more related to individual form than to any "mental issues".

Don't believe the readout, trust your own guage, any runner of caliber needs about 2 sessions on a treadmill to figure this out.

1% wind factor,I have heard this hundreds of times from runners, and I still silently chuckle to myself.

The treadmill doesn't make running any easier, but it screws up your form. The form that is most efficient for running a certain pace on a treadmill (as determined by the readout) is different than the form most effecient for sustaining the same pace on the roads. Runners who use treadmills too often maximize air time and stride length. They look like they're bounding slowly about the roads when they're off the machine. I've seen this in a runner I've coached who ran on a treadmill five times per week as her only training before starting with me. She could run really fast on a treadmill according to the readout, which I found to be pretty accurate based on my own effort, but could not duplicate the performance on the track. If you use a treadmill only occasionally, this is not a problem. You can maintain your most efficient road form out of habit. But if you use the treadmill too much and aren't conscious of your form you will develop bad habits that will impede performance on terra firma. This is my opinion based on anecdotal evidence, so I don't claim this is fact or anything.

I've counted treadmill miles in the past toward my weekly mileage, but I always relied on time and effort to determine how many miles I 'ran.' I never rely strictly on the treadmill readout. Count whatever miles you want -- it's your mileage. Seb Coe didn't count many recovery miles he ran, and I have had teammates who counted running to class. A mileage figure, however calculated, does not determine how you perform on race day. People quantify their training in different ways, all that matters is that you do the hardest training you can.

Sara Wells, a 2:33 marathoner, does a good deal of her training on a treadmill:

"Once you set a treadmill on your desired speed, the machine does the work of setting the pace," notes Sara Wells, winner of the U.S. 2003 Women's Marathon National Championship. "You can shut your mind off and just run. It's also less impact on your legs compared with running on asphalt, and safer than outdoor running at night." Wells did most of her afternoon runs on a treadmill last winter, including several 20-milers."

The ignorance in this thread is astounding. You guys have no idea about the true science regarding treadmill running if done correctly is close to outdoor running (1% incline). You guys sound like a bunch of Luddites who reject electricity and driving cars as well. Come into the 21st century!

I agree with you. I love the treadmill. It enables me to not go outside where it is cold and windy and sometimes it even rains. When it rains, I get wet. Ooouch. I also find that I get a better reading from my heart rate monitor on a treadmill. My new ipod seems to come across much clearer indoors. What I don't like about the treadmill is that my GPS unit doesn't indicate the proper mileage. My yoga teacher stole me a handicap parking sticker which allows me to park much closer at the Club. Another benefit of the treadmill is that they have a Starbuck's right in the club. Is anyone else able to plug in Galloway's walk breaks to the treadmill? I haven't figured it out yet and I am afraid that I am not training properly to break 6 hours in my upcoming marathon.

BarryP wrote:

Anyway, I've heard this rumor that treadmill running is "easier" because the belt actualy assists your legs by "throwing" them back.

As an engineer I've always found that amusing. These people obviously don't know Newton's 1st Law of Motion. The belt doesn't "throw" your legs back anymore than the Earth's rotation does......which is ZERO!

Then exactly how does your leg move back, if it's not the treadmill belt moving it?

Whenever training, we need to consider what is most effective. Going out for a run when it's 10 or less, windy, and blizzarding might make us feel tough, but it's not always as effective as getting a good workout in on a treadmill. If going out in the nasty weather is going to be just as effective, do it, but that's not true every day. For god's sake, letsrun posters need to understand the concept of "middle ground" in an argument. One side is not always 100% correct.

Man, this treadmill topic sure does polarize the running community. Most likely those who say it is worthless or a high-tech sissy's approach to running has never used one. Have the doubting coach run a few downhill miles on a treadmill and then see how he feels going down stairs for the next week. I remember an American guy who did almost all his long runs on a treadmill and went on to take 2nd at NY City in under 2:10 (not many of those guys around these days). Everyone faces obstacles during their training and they do the best they can with what they have -- for some it is facing the heat, others deal with very cold conditions, lots of wind, or have nothing but hills to train on, or no hills available. So you do the best you can with what you have. Maybe they should put treadmill training on the list of banned substances -- that would probably please some who think it is stupid or not stressful enough to count as training (or maybe too much of an advantage). Come on -- running is running, don't knock one type because you may not like it.

The general rule is that most letsrun posters can't break 15min in the 5k, and most coaches are horrible. Ofcourse there are a few exceptions, but the good coaches ussually let us know who they are. Why are there so many bad coaches? This thread is horrible, doing a run on a treadmill at a given heart rate is the same thing as doing that run outside at the same heart rate. You will find you are running slower outside in the winter because of the factors winter presents. Also some treadmills are off, but use the incline to your advantage.

I use the tredmill to:

1. Get a hill workout since the area around me is completly flat.

2. Complete a workout that's made me feel like I've actually done something. With the flat comes wind, and even if its "only" 5-10 out the wind chill is like -15 which sucks when its in your face and your busting your balls to run 8:00 pace. Not to mention ice on the road

I'm not as serious as I once was so I really don't care, the tredmill helps me accomplish what I want, to run some miles at a decent pace when its shitty out, and as far as I'm concerned it's better than sitting on your ass

Technicaly, it IS the belt that takes your foot from one postiion relative to a stationary spot on the earth and move it to another position relative to that spot. Weather that is forward or backward or sideways only has to do with which direction you are facing.However, all of this is irrelavent......because you are not running on the earth. You are running on the treadmill. Relative to the treadmill belt (which is what you are running on), you are propelling yourself forward from any arbitrary point on that belt in the same manner you would if running on....say....a track.The only way a treadmill belt would "throw your legs back" in a manner which would make it easier to run would be if you were supported by a harness that was linked to the earth.This effect would be the same if, for example, you had a windup toy car and had it ride on the treadmill and campared it to riding on the ground. Provided you don't hold on to it, it will go the same speed relative to the treadmill belt as it does on the ground relative to some point on the ground.This is why airplanes measure "air speed" and not ground speed.....because they fly in the air. This is also why we don't measure our speed relative to the sun/moon/center of the galaxy/etc. Newton's 1st Law states that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. Now, weather or not the electronic reading on your treadmill is accurate.....now that is a completely different story!!

Not Newton wrote:

BarryP wrote:

Anyway, I've heard this rumor that treadmill running is "easier" because the belt actualy assists your legs by "throwing" them back.

As an engineer I've always found that amusing. These people obviously don't know Newton's 1st Law of Motion. The belt doesn't "throw" your legs back anymore than the Earth's rotation does......which is ZERO!

Then exactly how does your leg move back, if it's not the treadmill belt moving it?

I used to be very anti-Treadmill, but for a day like today (tons of snow, Charles River not plowed) it just makes more sense. I get quicker leg turnover on the Treadmill than I would would on unplowed sidewalks, dodging cars the entire run.

Got out there yesterday though, didn't see a car the entire run!!

Store Owner wrote:

She was training on a treadmill for a specific purpose. She was trying to simulate the heat that was going to be in Columbia SC. It was for that reason only.

She was not doing it to prepare for the heat since it was not supposed to be hot in Columbia, SC in February. She was doing it because she was working and it is dark in AK in the winter not to mention cold.

The fact that it was warm in SC was just a coincidence and benefited her greatly.

Toronto wrote:

I have always find that with the same effort, running outdoor is always easier(and faster) than on the treadmill.

I'm happy to hear of someone else experiencing the same thing. I only run on a treadmill for an easy recovery run right after doing leg weights at the gym, and I've found the pace per the treadmill to be WAY slower than anything I've ever run outside. Even when I've run on a treadmill totally rested or attepted to run for speed, I find the pace to be way off. I pretty much just run for time now, instead of relying on the distance.

I ran a sub four mile on a tredmill. ran over 15 mph for 4 mins. i mean, the tredmill was way off for the speed setting, but im still counting it.

I think it may depend on the brand of treadmill and how accurate their display is....though I've never tested this theory.I typicaly run at about 7:30 per mile (about 8 mph). However, I rarely run faster than 10 minutes per mile according to my treadmill display. In fact, I usualy warm up at around 15 minutes per mile......there's no way in hell that I'm actually running 15 minutes per mile! Not only can I walk that fast....that's a freakin' STROLL.....but it's actually a light jog on my treadmill (like running a little slower than 9 minute pace).

Space Lord wrote:

Toronto wrote:

I have always find that with the same effort, running outdoor is always easier(and faster) than on the treadmill.

I'm happy to hear of someone else experiencing the same thing. I only run on a treadmill for an easy recovery run right after doing leg weights at the gym, and I've found the pace per the treadmill to be WAY slower than anything I've ever run outside. Even when I've run on a treadmill totally rested or attepted to run for speed, I find the pace to be way off. I pretty much just run for time now, instead of relying on the distance.

Thanks Johnny,

I could not agree anymore.