As winter approaches, many runners head indoors to do their training on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill is different in several ways from training outdoors, and there are benefits and drawbacks to each kind of training. If you find that your treadmill running is faster than your usual outdoor pace, there could be several reasons for this, including climate, focus, measurement precision and terrain control.
Climate
Treadmills are set up indoors and the climate-controlled indoor environment can help you run faster. When it is too hot or cold outside to run fast, treadmill running involves either air-conditioning or heating to provide a comfortable temperature for running. In the 1992 issue of the "International Journal of Biometeorology," Suping Zhang states that temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit are optimum for long-distance races. So, you can run faster on a treadmill because you control the indoor temperature and climate.
Friction
The treadmill provides a smooth, consistent running surface. Unlike the outdoor running environment, the treadmill is free of gravel, mud, potholes and rough surfaces that increase friction between your shoe and the ground on which you are running. Increased friction will slow your running speed. So, a treadmill allows you to run faster because friction is minimized in treadmill running.
Focus
When running on a treadmill, you are focused on the task in hand. You must keep running fast enough to stay in the same spot on the treadmill, but otherwise you do not need to worry about keeping track of your progress and navigating your running route. Outdoors, you may become less focused as you navigate sidewalks, avoid traffic, and cross roads. By removing these distractions, the treadmill allows greater focus and therefore greater speed.
Display
Most treadmills have a display that shows you the speed at which you are running, the total distance covered and perhaps the calories burned or power output of your running session. Having these parameters measured accurately and automatically can increase your speed. On the treadmill, it is easy to run at your target pace---you simply set the treadmill to that speed and the display will keep you on track. Outdoors, estimating mileage and running speed is more difficult, and may lead you to run slower overall. The precision offered by the treadmill in measuring your speed and distance may spur you to run faster.
Hill Control
A treadmill offers a completely flat running surface, something that is not often encountered over any significant distance in nature. Being able to control the incline or decline on a treadmill allows you to pace yourself optimally, according to running coach and personal trainer Rick Morris of Running Planet. When running outside, you may encounter steeper hills than you would like, and the inclines and declines may occur at places in your workout which are not optimal for your running speed. The ability to control hills on the treadmill can also speed up your running overall.
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