Running: Treadmill vs. Road vs. Trail

Running is running, right? WRONG.

I am not an expert on running beyond the basics: invest in quality footwear, listen to your body, beginners should log minutes instead of miles, do the "talk test," etc. But, sadly, I thought that all running was pretty much created equal. This weekend, that idea was shattered.

Treadmill vs. Oustide

I'm getting pretty good at the treadmill. I can jog along at a nice leisurely pace for an extended period of time while watching Dr. Phil on the gym TV's or listening to my iPod. I can log a few miles at a time on the treadmill now without taking any "walk breaks." I thought (okay, I still think) I was pretty cool stuff.

Then on a nice day last week I took it outside.

I almost died running a whole mile. (Side note: yes, yes, I know that I violated almost every beginning runner rule I listed above. I did not listen to my body. I did not try to count minutes instead of miles. I wanted a mile, dammit. And I was determined to get one. Do as I say and not as I do.) Mystified (and gasping for air), I pondered why it is so much easier to run on a treadmill than outside? My scientific brain logically decided that it clearly requires far more energy to actually propel my mass forward through space on non-moving footing than it does to bounce from one leg to another on a moving tread while staying in one spot.

Why this thought didn't occur to me before I set out to knock out a piddly, measly mile on the pavement in my neighborhood, I'll never know. But I sure know now. Running "out in the world" is much more difficult than hitting a treadmill. Is that to say that a treadmill isn't as good of exercise? No. Treadmills are still awesome. Especially in cold, rainy, gloomy Oregon. Plus, they are easier on the joints than the pavement, and you can adjust the incline to exactly what you want. But treadmills and the sidewalk are vastly different running experiences, and they each have something to offer.

Trail Running


Treadmills and sidewalks may be the staple for most of us who live in suburbia, but if you want to take your running experience from "bleh" to "Holy Crap!" in no time, hit the trail.

I LOVE trail running. It reminds me of trail riding with my horses, only I'm the one doing all the work. It is interesting. The varying terrain; the shift in inclines/declines; the scenery, smells, and solitude; and the occasional ditch/log/tree root/rock all (quite literally) keep me on my toes. Running uphill on a trail is hard. Running downhill on a trail is not as demanding, however it does require a high degree of fancy footwork and physical dexterity and agility to remain upright as your body flies downwards. Yes, physics do kick in and it is much more difficult to stop when going downhill, and much more difficult to go when going uphill. All in all, I think it makes it much more enjoyable than a constant incline of a treadmill, or the steady pounding on concrete.

I am fortunate enough to live at the foot of a nature park with miles of trails. I have very few excuses to NOT go trail running (or even just hiking would probably do me worlds of good) other than this Evil Oregon Rain.

I went up last Sunday. The next day I was sore. I was sore from mid-calf down to my ankles. In trail running, apparently you have to use ALL of those little tiny micro-muscles in your lower leg and ankles to stabilize yourself on the uneven terrain. I know this will help my riding SO much!!! I have weak ankles. I have always had weak ankles. Particularly my right ankle. It gets sore after too much posting/2-point or anything that requires me to be extra deep through the heel when I am on horseback. I am interested to see if trail running helps improve my ankle strength, since it's so difficult to find "traditional" exercises that do!