Treadmill Conversion Chart: Is this accurate?

At worst the difference is 1-2% in terms of energy expenditure.

One study showed raising the TM to a grade of 1% was the equivalent of running outdoors at a decent speed. The slower the speed, the less the difference.

thomas-98 wrote:

http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php

Does lack of wind resistance make this much a difference?

It probably does in terms of the raw physics, but I always find that treadmill running is harder than an equivalent outdoor pace. That's probably because treadmill running uses muscles in a different way so you're not as efficient. Also, having the wind cool you off can make running outside easier/more comfortable.

At least, that's how I've always explained it to myself.

Even when down all the way, my treadmill still has a slight incline. I'm guessing that's why 6:00 pace on there feels quite a bit quicker. Interesting chart, but I still think the way a treadmill feels depends on the person running on it.

For me, I can run 6:30 pace (as indicated by the treadmill's screen)on the treadmill for an hour and feel beat. At the same time, I can go outside and run 10 miles in 56-58 minutes at the same perceived effort or easier.

I am in the same boat and know others as well. Running 6:00 on the treadmill I could barely get over 4 miles, but can easily maintain that pace longer outdoors, and ran a half marathon at that pace.

The faster the pace, the harder the treadmill seems compared to running outdoors.

does the treadmill work different muscle groups? and if it does, how does that chart factor that in? It seems like the chart is too basic a conversion - I can't imagine running 4:20 mile at 12mph at an 8% incline. You'd be running straight up hill, thereby working different muscle groups as opposed to just running 4:20 on the track.

I think Dr. Jack have found similar results on level ground, but I have done research on hill running vs. simulating the hill on a treadmill at various paces and we are finding the metabolic response is similar. Sure, perhaps the physics of overcoming air-resistance is worth a 1% grade but the effect of cooling, and perhaps different kinematics (I'm not sure personally as I didn't look at kinematic differences...I was biking up the hill beside the subjects getting HR and split times while they wore a portable metabolic system) more than makes up for the lack of wind-resistance on a treadmill. I would just call 10mph at 0% on the TM is the same (or harder) than 10mph outside. That's just what my one research study is currently showing though.

I also find running on the treadmill harder than running the same pace outdoors....however, I find it much easier to run on an indoor track (the one at my gym) than outdoors at the same pace.

It must be easier to run on a treadmill though. Isn't the wr for the mile on a treadmill 3:21 or something like that?