Treadmill Running

Dreadmill. Hamster wheel. One mile inside feels like five outside. We’ve all heard the quips about running on a treadmill. Some runners embrace it, while others will do anything to avoid it. But love it or hate it, there can be some benefits to lacing up and hopping on the treadmill. Here are just a few.

1. Weather
If you live in a place where the weather can be brutal in the winter, treadmills can be your best friend. Living in Minnesota, I’ve experienced some pretty extreme temps, and while I’ve ran in a lot of them, there comes a point where it can actually be a bit dangerous to run outside, no matter how many layers you have on. With a treadmill, you don’t have to worry about staying warm enough or possible icy conditions that could result in a fall.
2. Speed Control
Have you ever been on a run, thinking that you’re going a certain pace, only to look down at your watch and realize you’re either going much faster or much slower than you thought? Pretty sure we all have. Treadmills can be a great tool for eliminating those uncertainties. They allow you to easily control your pace and incline at a moments notice. Tempo runs are a good example, as you can also quickly reference the treadmill’s timer to know when to speed up or slow down.
3. Injury or Joint-Friendly
Running on a hard surface, like asphalt or concrete, can be hard on your joints, especially if you’re just coming back from an injury. The softer surface of a treadmill can lessen this impact, making recovery easier. It also helps you avoid any potential uneven surfaces that could pop up, again resulting in a trip or fall.
4. Safety and Convenience
In addition to adverse weather conditions in the winter, we also have significantly less daylight. As someone who likes to wake up early and run before work, this means I’d be running in the dark the entire time. My headlamp is great, but as a predominantly solo runner, I sometimes get wary of running alone in the dark. Choosing my treadmill on those dark, early mornings also means I can just get up, throw on my running gear, and start my run within a few minutes. Winter running usually means checking the weather, deciding how many layers is enough, and making sure I have all my other running accessories with me. Let’s face it, it’s often just as time consuming as the run itself.
While an outdoor run combined with a beautiful sunrise or sunset will always be amazing, treadmills are definitely a great option for many reasons. So embrace that hamster wheel, and maybe toss in a good streaming service for good measure.