Is running on a treadmill harder if it is on an incline?

It depends if its on a slope or not.

1/100

Psh! Nope, it's way easier. The ease of running uphill is often compared to how easy it is for one to just fly downhill.

I actually experienced this at the Y the other day. I was feeling sluggish and got on the thing and was struggling to run 9:50/M pace for a half mile! I wasn't feeling that terrible, so I got off the thing and saw that it was on an angle. On the machine next to it, which was flat, I was easily at 6:30/M pace for a half mile and then dropped it down to 5:23/M for a 5M tempo. Didn't seem like that dramatic an incline.

Umm...ever heard of a treadmill stress test?

No, why would it be any harder? Either way you are not gaining any elevation as you run.

I hate treadmills so much. Can someone explain the 1% incline rule that must be done so that the pace is correct for outdoors? Why don't they make all treadmills at a 1% then?

FWIW, the last time I was on treadmill I set it at 7:00 pace for 4 miles and it felt like a tempo effort.

RockyRococo wrote:

I hate treadmills so much. Can someone explain the 1% incline rule that must be done so that the pace is correct for outdoors? Why don't they make all treadmills at a 1% then?

FWIW, the last time I was on treadmill I set it at 7:00 pace for 4 miles and it felt like a tempo effort.

Somebody (Jack Daniels??) came up with the 1% rule of thumb. Everyone is different, so it is just a rule of thumb. A properly calibrated treadmill is moving at the speed noted -- whatever the incline is set for. Because you are running in place (body not moving forward), the air resistance that you would experience if your body was moving forward is missing. Although body temperature rises because there is no air resistance to cool you off, overall the effort at 0% is SLIGHTLY easier than if you were running outside.

Forgot to add last sentence --

A 1% incline makes the effort the same as running outside at the same speed.