I love running. I always have, but I am probably going against the masses when I say that I prefer running on a treadmill to running outside.
Treadmills are designed for one purpose; to run on. This means that they offer comfort and programmability that can never be offered by running outside. Everyone enjoys feedback and visible progression and that is something that the mechanical option offers, when I finish a workout I have a good set of numbers to crunch, that have very little variables, and I can see how I have done compared to this time last week, or this time last year if I really want to.
This may seem like a poor reason for preference but it is true. My motivation comes from progression, so that is why it is so important. I know there are tools to do it on the road, but I don’t want to have to run with a phone and a heart rate strap, which is removing the freedom that running, brings me. Whilst we are on the topic of freedom, that is where the Treadmill comes up trumps again.
Outside I am at the mercy of the elements. So maybe I could get out two, or maybe three times a week if I am lucky and even then the session could be cut short. However, when I am in my gym, I have my settings all programmed in and I know that I will be having a full session, for as long or as little as I want.
If I am on a straight piece of road I will speed up, no matter what I try and do, and as soon as I feel a slight incline I feel the need to pick up the pace again to battle it, so if I start on a straight road with an incline then I will be shattered by the end of the first km. Meaning another point to the Treadmill as I am forced to run how its telling me to run, meaning I am in more control of my breathing, my focus and ultimately my time.
To me this is my idea of the perfect run; there are no surprises, no twisted ankles and no cutting short. I have my music to keep me focused and entertained, I have a stream of numbers in front of me to help me alter my run to make sure I am on my preferred pace and best of all I can run with a partner without having to alter what I do to suit them and vice versa!
So maybe if a heat wave strikes then I will add in a few runs in the wild, but until that time I think I will be on the Treadmill and will stick to exactly what I know.
Author Bio – Written by Alex Johnson, a fitness writer for Health Clubs at Home; suppliers of gym equipment for sale. You can also follow him on Google+.