So, why does it feel like I can run further on a treadmill?

This is likely due to two main reasons:

1. Biomechanics. When running on a treadmill, the belt is automatically moving underneath you which does a lot of the effort in propelling your body forward, which means your posterior chain (ie. calves, hamstrings and glutes) don’t have to work quite as hard, which means you’re likely going to fatigue a little quicker when running outside due to the extra muscle power required to propel you forward without the assistance of the treadmill belt.
2. Environment. When running outdoors, there are many factors outside of your control like weather/temperature, wind resistance, and terrain (up hills, down hills). When you’re running on a treadmill, these factors aren’t present so you’re better able to maintain a consistent pace. And even with utilising the incline/decline options on the treadmill, it’s difficult to truly match the undulating nature of outdoor terrain.

In that case, are there benefits to running on a treadmill?

One isn’t better than the other, and there can be many benefits to running on a treadmill! These can include:

• Having a controlled environment. You can better control the pace of your running, for example if you’re wanting to get used to running at a certain pace or learning how to pace yourself, treadmills are great for this!
• Utilising the incline/decline function is helpful if you don’t live somewhere with an undulating running path.
• During winter when conditions aren’t favourable to running outside, you can maintain your running routine – this will also help with load management and therefore possibly reduce injury risk.
• Treadmills are somewhat cushioned/have shock absorption mechanisms, so there’s less impact on your joints. This is good if you’re returning to running from an injury!
• Treadmill running can be a good option if the only time you have to run is in the dark and you don’t feel safe to do so.

Then, why should I run outdoors?

• Running outdoors can help you become stronger in certain muscle groups. On the flip side to what I mentioned before, outdoor running can help build your posterior chain muscles to propel yourself forward and navigate terrain and obstacles – calves, hamstrings, glutes, adductors in particular!
• Stride length might be longer when running outdoors so there’s likely less load on anterior chain muscles like hip flexors compared to a treadmill.
• The undulating nature of running outside helps to recruit more muscles.
• Greater mental stimulation (being in nature, more things to look at, navigating obstacles) – these things can keep your run a bit more interesting!
• Social interaction if you’re running with a friend or a run club (such as KICRUN Club!).
• Other benefits of being outdoors like vitamin D, which can have amazing benefits for mental health.
• Due to the greater ground reaction forces (harder surface) the increased load on your bones can actually be a good thing for increasing bone density (in the absence of injury).

So, if I’m training for a particular goal, say 10km, do I need to be increasing my treadmill distances to hit my goal outdoors?

Yes! Regardless of what distance you’re aiming for, it’s important to increase your distances gradually, and include a mix of long/easy runs and shorter/interval sessions on the treadmill. This is where following a plan like the KICRUN programs can be helpful.

If you have a certain event or race that you’re going to be doing outdoors, it’s best to train for this outdoors. This is so your body can adapt to the extra load and ground reaction forces of running on the harder surface, and to get used to running in the elements. This doesn’t mean you can’t still use a treadmill, but a mix of both would be better than indoor only if you’re training for an outdoor event/race.

How to avoid injury when running? How can I add in cross-training to support my runs?

Running injuries are unfortunately quite common, and often come down to a few factors:

• Poor load management (eg building up your km’s or runs per week too quickly or overtraining)
• Inadequate strength/mechanics/technique leading to overload
• Inadequate footwear (there’s many great running shoes on the market, but even the “best” running shoe might not be right for your feet)
• Other factors like stress, sleep, inadequate fuelling/nutrition, inadequate recovery

You can address these factors by:

• Increasing your km’s slowly and building up your running gradually by following a training plan like KICRUN. KICRUN Challenge enrolments are still open if you’re looking for a motivation boost too!
• Including strength training and Pilates in your routine, particularly focusing on the muscle groups that are involved in running (calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, trunk/core) can help with injury prevention. There’s a new strength and Pilates collection in the Kic app which has a great selection of some flows and workouts to support your running journey.
• Varying your training load is important. Particularly, reducing the amount of HIIT/plyometric work you do on top of your running and substituting that for strength/pilates or a lower-impact cardio. This can be something like swimming or cycling!
• Don’t forget about recovery! Foam rolling, massage balls/guns, stretching etc are so important for injury prevention and allowing you to become a better/stronger runner

A typical week might look like 3 runs, 2-3 Pilates/strength sessions (ensuring all the key muscle groups listed above have been targeted), and one active recovery session (yoga, easy swim, stretching session etc).