I've been running for the past 3 days and on these 3 days I ran on the treadmill. Running on the treadmill is different from running outside. So what's the difference?
It tends to get pretty boring to run on the treadmill. You are basically running on the spot for the duration of your workout. In that manner, your mind tends to wander. At least mine wanders! :) But anyway, it really does get boring. Luckily for my school's gym, the treadmill has a television installed for your personal pleasure. Joggers have the luxury of not staring at their reflections in the window but at something that is ever changing. For my fellow school-mates, we get to watch local television. On Wednesday, we even got to watch Singapore's football match against Lebanon! Well Done Lions!
The other major negative of running on the treadmill is that you are exercising in an air-conditioned place. This is not good for your lungs I heard and the air is drier than that outside. So, in a sense, you may need to drink more often and I think long-term wise, it is not good for your lungs. Not really sure about this. Probably will do more research on this. :)
On top of these, I personally feel that running on the treadmill is different from running outside on the roads, especially in terms of technique. When you run on the treadmill, you just have to put one foot down in front of the other and the machine will move your foot back for you. haha.. On the other hand, running outside on the roads, you have to thrust yourself forward so that your body moves ahead of your front leg. I think in terms of the muscles used, it is different.
However, that said, running on the treadmill has the benefit of the timing and distance covered in the run. Whenever I run outside, I only time myself how long I have run but not the distance that has been covered. Usually, at the end of the run outside, we approximate the distance covered. But who is to know our approximation is actually right! Do you really know your speed when you run outside? Is it 5 min per km? Or is it 5:30 per km? Is your speed today the same as the day before? Are you sure it is the same speed? How would you know it is the same speed? Hence, besides running around a 400m track, you cannot possibility know for certain that you are hitting the speed you think you are.
It tends to get pretty boring to run on the treadmill. You are basically running on the spot for the duration of your workout. In that manner, your mind tends to wander. At least mine wanders! :) But anyway, it really does get boring. Luckily for my school's gym, the treadmill has a television installed for your personal pleasure. Joggers have the luxury of not staring at their reflections in the window but at something that is ever changing. For my fellow school-mates, we get to watch local television. On Wednesday, we even got to watch Singapore's football match against Lebanon! Well Done Lions!
The other major negative of running on the treadmill is that you are exercising in an air-conditioned place. This is not good for your lungs I heard and the air is drier than that outside. So, in a sense, you may need to drink more often and I think long-term wise, it is not good for your lungs. Not really sure about this. Probably will do more research on this. :)
On top of these, I personally feel that running on the treadmill is different from running outside on the roads, especially in terms of technique. When you run on the treadmill, you just have to put one foot down in front of the other and the machine will move your foot back for you. haha.. On the other hand, running outside on the roads, you have to thrust yourself forward so that your body moves ahead of your front leg. I think in terms of the muscles used, it is different.
However, that said, running on the treadmill has the benefit of the timing and distance covered in the run. Whenever I run outside, I only time myself how long I have run but not the distance that has been covered. Usually, at the end of the run outside, we approximate the distance covered. But who is to know our approximation is actually right! Do you really know your speed when you run outside? Is it 5 min per km? Or is it 5:30 per km? Is your speed today the same as the day before? Are you sure it is the same speed? How would you know it is the same speed? Hence, besides running around a 400m track, you cannot possibility know for certain that you are hitting the speed you think you are.
Well, for now I am sticking to treadmill running till my running kaki (friend) is free again. Till then, keep running! or try lah!
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