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Question:
I started to run outside in April—it was horrible! The outside of my legs, from my knees
to my ankles, were in excruciating pain. I got so sad and down on myself that I would actually
cry after a run. After two weeks of pain and discouragement, I went indoors to a
treadmill. Part of me is so proud that I am now up to running nonstop for 25 minutes at 5 mph (covering 1.82 miles). But a big part of me feels that I am not really running since I am indoors on a soft treadmill.
I feel myself getting stronger, and pushing myself more and more each run, but I have not lost
any weight, and deep down I wonder if it is because I am using the treadmill. I am afraid to
run outside, because I am scared that the pain in my legs might return and force me to cut back
my runs. Any advice would be very helpful.
Answer:
Congratulations on your 25 minutes of running nonstop! That’s quite an accomplishment. For many
people, running outside is harder than running inside on a treadmill. But I’ve also heard from
others that running on a treadmill is harder than running outside. We’re all different. The point is, you’re progressing. I am in favor of doing whatever works for you. Don’t judge yourself against anyone else. If you are in pain when you run outside, don’t do it. You can ease your way outside when you feel comfortable. Maybe someday you’ll want to participate in a local 5K (3.1-mile) walk or run that is held outside on trails or pavement.
I personally find it harder to run outside than on a treadmill. That’s because outside you have to push yourself to maintain a certain pace, but a treadmill is softer and maintains the pace for you or you’ll fall off. That doesn’t it make it better or worse, just different. I started walking on a treadmill four years ago while watching my favorite television shows. This got me started on my road to fitness. Four years later, I now run outside most of the time and find treadmills boring for anything over five miles. I still run on treadmills for convenience, but I don’t prefer them. We’re all different. What works for you this year may change next year. We evolve and change. Keep up the good
work!
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