When the weather is at its worst, the snow, ice, rain and/or freezing temperatures are usually sufficient to settle the issue as to whether you should run outside or use the treadmill. When nature doesn't conspire to interrupt your exercise plans, or if you have access to an indoor running track, the decision becomes more difficult.
Overall Benefits
Whether you run freestyle or on a treadmill, you generally get the same benefits. With both, you get a cardio workout that burns calories, clears your arteries, boosts your immune system and lowers your risk for various health problems, including obesity, diabetes, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. The weight-bearing pressure of running enhances bone strength and reduces your risk of osteoperosis. Whichever cardio workout works best for you -- whichever one motivates you to put on your running shoes -- is the best one. Each has its pros and cons, but it's your own needs and personal preferences that will determine whether you run in place or put forward motion into it.
Outdoor Pros
If you are a competitive runner, exercising outside gives you the opportunity to train your muscles and brain to deal with the terrain, weather, turns and obstacles that you'll face during competition. The wind resistance, gravel, rocks, roots, curbs, turns, heat, rain and cold affect your gait, stride, balance and breathing. These conditions will affect your competition run more significantly if you have not dealt with them while training. Also, you use a different stride when running outside versus on a treadmill, so you can train for an outdoor run more effectively by running outdoors. If you run for pleasure, health, fitness or weight control, outdoor running offers several possible advantages. Running in the sun gives you vitamin D, a critical vitamin that helps you absorb calcium and strengthens your bones. Many find that running outdoors enhances their mood. You can imbibe in the sensory pleasures of being in nature and take in the sights and sounds of your neighborhood. You can alter your routes to vary your experience. You get a clear sense of progress, motion and accomplishment as you trek through your route and pass landmarks and mileposts that mark your progress toward your finish line.
Outdoor Cons
If you're not in training for a competitive event, road hazards and obstacles pose more of a health risk than a reward for most runners. If you don't have easy access to gentle running surfaces, and if you run daily, pavement and cement can jar your joints and cause discomfort, especially if you already have orthopedic problems. In addition to inclement weather, running outdoors might expose you to risks if the area in which you run is unsafe.
Treadmill Pros
With a treadmill, weather is no obstacle, and if you own the treadmill, you can run anytime day or night. You can watch TV or movies when you use a treadmill, which can entertain you and help distract you from running pains. Beginners sometimes feel self-conscious about running in public, so if you own your own treadmill, you can run in the comfort and privacy of your home. The treadmill platform provides a softer running surface than cement or pavement. Many treadmills have programs that pace you so you have a proper warm-up, intervals of intense running and a cool-down, enhancing the quality of your workout while leaving your mind free to wander. Treadmills give you control over the incline of the run. This allows you to increase the intensity and calorie burn of the workout by increasing the incline.
Treadmill Cons
Running on a treadmill provides no wind resistance, and so it can decrease the intensity of the run. However, you can compensate for that by running at a faster pace or by setting the incline to 1 degree, according to Running Planet. Your stride and form may differ when on the treadmill than when running outside, so the treadmill may not provide the best precompetition training.
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