Treadmills are just so tedious. I have no love of running generally, and the only thing that actually makes it worthwhile for me is getting outdoors, see my surroundings, breathing in fresh air, enjoying variety in weather and environment, and seeing other people.
It’s also a much better workout - I have a much clearer sense of achievement after an outdoor run.
I don’t run, but I hike a lot. This fall I did two competitive hikes (my first time). One of them began with a 1000 foot ascent and went for 11 miles, and we finished in the best third.
I just love it, for so many reasons. It’s beautiful, interesting, and a great thing to do with somebody else (or by myself). It’s become a project for me to learn various trail systems, a great incentive to get out there.
In fact, I love hiking so much that I’m all stirred up now. One thing that amazes me is to grow familiar with the woods, and start to notice signs of human activity long ago. There are ruins of intriguing buildings, sometimes only barely perceptible. Infrastructure, like railroads, or old dams (some thousands of years old from the Native Americans creating fish harvesting pools). Old farms. Old roads, all over the place, that sometimes explain why new roads are where they are. It’s fascinating.
Also fascinating is the geography. Why are all the oil wells on the tops of hills? Ahhh, the oil formed, and then the landscape buckled, so the hills are the high parts of grand wrinkles, and of course the oil forms bubbles under the ridges. Look how the sun influences things, more photosynthesis where it hits, more humidity where it doesn’t. Look how the old fields are laid out. Where did the farmer live? From inside an old field, the gates or openings point toward the farmhouse. Was it crops or livestock? If the gate is in a corner, it suggests livestock, because they can corner them there and drive them through.
Also fascinating is how to navigate. One system is to picture north, south, east, and west, and most of us are familiar with that. But take a hint from the peoples of the jungle, and use a different coordinate system that makes more sense in the woods where there may be no long sightlines: think in terms of walking upstream, or downstream, or up the bank away from the water, or down the bank toward the water. Given that so much deep woods is shaped by the branched structure of water drainage, you can use that structure as your map.
It’s really interesting out there, and I think the best way to become better friends is to have a great conversation one on one, with the blood flowing and some guaranteed time together without distractions.
This is what I do, except on an elliptical machine. I’m going to watch TV anyway, might as well do some of it while exercising. A decent program does make the time go by nicely.
I like the fact that I can vary my pace more easily outside, plus I feel like I can go faster because I don’t have to worry about synchronizing with the treadmill. I’m always a bit nervous that I’ll trip on the treadmill (though it hasn’t happened yet–OTOH I haven’t used it in more than a year, spend over an hour fast-walking outside instead).
I got an exercise bike once with the idea I would use it while watching TV … I found riding a stationary bike just as annoying with the TV on as without the TV. YMMV
So you hit the majority in the OP.
Yes. Running outside is a value proposition. The activity is also more motivating for some.
Mentioned is that uneven surfaces and turns have some extra benefit for varying muscle group stimulation. And that the dog can get exercise too. Fairly small advantages, especially if you don’t have a jogging partner dog.
Yes indoor also has plusses.
Mind my asking though @Velocity, of the indoor options, why a treadmill?
I get it for someone who is a runner already wanting a bad weather option. But it is big and noisy as well as of decent cost. There will be many sold as part of New Year’s resolutions, and fairly few used with regularity.
It’s the only running I can do inside my house.
I don’t intend to do all running indoors - I play frisbee, soccer with friends every now and then on some weekends - but in general I do not like leaving the house. I am a bit of a hermit I guess.
I’m with solost and dolphinboy. I find exercise indescribably tedious, the only thing that makes it bearable is watching TV. So a treadmill with a tablet propped on it is the only way I can stick to exercise. And it has worked for the past 4 years.
I should mention that exercise for me is a matter of habit. It takes me months to form new habits, but once I do, they become automatic. I take my dog out in the morning for a 90 minute hike unless the weather is awful. I’m on the treadmill for an hour every night, unless I’m out doing something fun. I didn’t form these habits until I retired and had no excuse not to exercise regularly.
Why running per se? Above other indoor aerobic options? Machine and otherwise?
Do you particularly enjoy running? Have you regularly used a treadmill before and feel confident you will use it?
Treadmills are expensive loud and bulky compared to many other indoor options. Why are you anchored on running the activity to emulate?
It may be the best choice for you. Dunno. I am just curious how you concluded that, and if you’ve dismissed other options for any specific reasons.
One advantage of the treadmill is that you can walk or run. That allows some variation to the routine.
However I must say that walking outside with headphones on is MUCH easier for me than walking indoors. I can always explore new neighborhoods or trails, run errands, and be social.
Running is just one of the things. I’ll be doing pushups, weight lifting too, but the main reason for running is to build stamina so I can last longer in soccer/frisbee/etc games too. I’ve been outrun too many times by opponents.
Also, running is good for listening to music at the same time.
I have had two knee surgeries and so my jogging/running days are over. I have tried using the elliptical, but end up outside riding my bike or else walking. The indoors machine are safer but waay more boring for me. We all must try different things and then choose the best way.
Then the advantage of outdoor running is that it more closer matches the running you do for those activities. Uneven surfaces and turns use different muscle patterns than straight on a treadmill. You may also want to do some sort of interval training as that also more closer matches the activities you desire to support. Even small amounts of HIIT as part of the mix.
ETA - treadmill noise gets in the way of music. Headphones have to be loud.
Indoor cycling with just a TV for entertainment is dreadful. There’s a new (and of course more expensive) class of trainers for bikes that pair up with software which much improves the experience. These trainers measure the power you’re putting out, and can vary the resistance based on software inputs. Software such as Zwift and several of its competitors (Zwift is the biggest player, though) is effectively a computer game controlled by and controlling your trainer. You’ve got an avatar cycling through a virtual world. Ride harder and your avatar goes faster. When you go up a hill the resistance increases. When you go down the other side, the resistance decreases. It’s still not anything like as much fun as riding outdoors, but it’s engaging enough that it’s not difficult to motivate myself to go for a ride. And when it’s -30 outdoors, the indoor option is quite welcome.
Actually, Zwift has running options too. Not sure what sort of treadmill features are required to use it, but it’s possible to run through the virtual worlds as well as riding.
This.
I really dislike running on the treadmill. It’s just dull. Running outside has more to occupy my mind.
I enjoy cycling even more than running. But I like going fast, which ain’t gonna happen on my own two feet.
You have to do maintenance on a treadmill, too. (That said, we have one, which I use occasionally and my husband uses daily.) I do most of my running indoors on a mini trampoline.
I don’t think it has to be one or the other. Not for me, at least.
I see the already-mentioned advantages and disadvantages of each. I run outdoors, indoors on a track, and on a treadmill, depending on the circumstances.
(OK, you got me. I should say “when I used to run, I…”)
mmm
This, exactly. Especially now that my arthritic knees prevent me from serious racing, I run to get outside and engage with my environment. It’s fun to run familiar streets, and note the progress of a new park, or that they’ve finally painted that house on the corner, or watch the people in the restaurants. A few years ago, I set myself the challenge of running every street in my small city; I got to know the whole community, that way.
I used to get up early on Saturday mornings and go for long 16 - 20 mile runs; and they took me into parts of Atlanta I never had occasion to visit, and showed me sights I had never known existed - a Vietnamese Buddhist temple and graveyard, a rock labyrinth, a 19th c. railroad tunnel, the city’s abundant mural art. Couldn’t have found any of that, running on a dreadmill.
Another advantage is social. I meet at a running store twice a week for a group run, with beer and kibitzing afterwards. It’s one of the highlights of my week. Much more fun than staring at my phone in a sweaty gym, IMO.