A 10K running race is 6.2 miles long and is a good goal to set after running a 5K, or 3.1-mile race successfully. According to MayoClinic.com, a good training schedule will involve a combination of walking and running at different speeds, in addition to regular rest days. Training on a treadmill has both advantages and disadvantages in comparison to outdoor race training.
Climate Control
One of the major advantages of treadmill training for a 10K race is the ability to control your climate while training. Because treadmills are set up indoors, you can use either heating or air conditioning to ensure a comfortable running temperature at any time of year. Running outside when it is either too cold or too hot may slow you down when you run. Writing in the "International Journal of Biometeorology," researcher Suping Zhang from the Shandong Meteorological Institute in China indicates that an optimum temperature for running a race is in the range of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Measurements
Training on a treadmill for a 10K allows you to measure your speed and overall distance very precisely, as most treadmills have displays showing these values as you run. This may be easier than trying to find outdoor training routes of certain distances. Additionally, it is easier to run at a specific pace -- as often prescribed by race training plans -- when this measurement is provided for you automatically. Having precise distance and speed measurements available as you run may also increase your motivation for running and training.
Safety
Treadmill training may be safer than training alone outdoors. Running on sidewalks or city streets you can be in danger from vehicular traffic and other people. In the countryside, dangers to the runner include weather, isolation and wildlife. Particularly if you have health concerns -- such as heart disease or a seizure disorder -- you may prefer to train on a treadmill where the aforementioned dangers are not present. If you use a treadmill at a gym rather than at home, there will also be staff members on hand to assist if you do become unwell while exercising.
Treadmill Disadvantages
Disadvantages of treadmill training for a 10K include the somewhat unrealistic running experience provided by a treadmill. Your 10K race will most likely take place outside, over terrain which may include hills. A treadmill provides a perfectly flat running surface, which does not typically occur in nature. On a treadmill with adjustable incline, you may become accustomed to choosing the hills you want to run on -- for your 10K race, the gradient and terrain of the course will not be under your control.
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