First of let me say this: Any Movement is better than No Movement. However, if you train to be able to run a 5-mile race outside, you should keep the majority of your training outside. Now maybe if there is ice laying on the ground outside or it is snowing so bad that you cannot see right from left, you should probably consider the option of using the treadmill. Else it might be best to stay away from it.

Here are 5 reasons why running outside is better than the treadmill:
1. You can control your pace
2. You are exposed to the outside elements
3. You work with your own stride
4. Less embarrassing and dangerous situations
5. Mental resiliency and mental clarity

Keep in mind: I am not addressing the issue of running at a very low speed here. Yes, you can get a brisk walk or run in on a treadmill where you can control your pace and you won’t be exposed to any embarrassing situations. However, I am talking about the situations, where you are trying to push your own limits.

Point 1: Control your own pace. The problem with treadmills is having to have to adjust speed on the dashboard. If you take treadmills seriously, you will notice the difference in “easiness” when running on a treadmill at 0% incline. Various articles online and my own gym experience confirm that a 0% incline is not real. The minute you change the 0% incline to a 2% incline, you will notice a big difference. All of a sudden, this easy 10 mph on a treadmill feels a whole lot more difficult. And now, you are running fast, but damn, I need to slow down, my heart rate is already at 190, I cannot keep this up. So now you are reaching to the dashboard, because you do not want to stop running. Not that easy.

Point 2: Exposure to Nature. Nowadays, we spend so much time inside of the house, and less in nature, that running and sprinting outside, gives you at least some exposure to the elements. Most of us unfortunately spend 8 hours inside of a gray building and then we spend a lot of time inside a car driving to get to where we need to get to. Does it not feel weird to you to look at the dashboard of a treadmill for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours?

Point 3: And that is very personal point. You work with your own stride. Remembering those times when I was told to keep my knees up while running fast and in a certain motion is very difficult to duplicate on a treadmill. I also do feel like it changes my stride, and this is the opposite of what I want. I am not sure how much this point can be backed by science. But then again, pretty sure, it can be.

Point 4: Embarrassing situations. When running outside you cannot really be confronted with too many embarrassing situations. Yes, someone might laugh about your stride, but that does not really have anything to do with you. Your pants might fall down while you run or any other silly situation. On a serious note, the treadmill can put you in some dangerous and also embarrassing situations. If you get dizzy on the treadmill, because your heart rate is really high and other factors affect your day, you might try to reach for the bars to get down from the treadmill. What if in that situation you miss the bars and fall. Know if you are lucky this situation might only be embarrassing, because you are now laying on the floor in the gym. But what if you are not as lucky? You might hurt yourself.

Yes, outside can be dangerous as well. You can be robbed or killed while running outside. True. But there is also a good chance that this might not happen at all. Choose the time and location of your run. Do not run in a high crime area at midnight around the area. Take that completely out of the equation. But yes, you might mitigate this risk. There is still some risk. Be aware of your surroundings.

Point 5: Mental resiliency and mental clarity. Running outside at 11 Degrees Fahrenheit is not a joke. I did this before and it was not comfortable. It also taught me some things. I don’t like it, but I felt great afterwards. I also do not like running at 50 degrees. It’s not like I am waking up and telling myself: “Oh man I just want to run in this sunny weather, I don’t have anything else to do”. No, most of us do it to be healthier, in better shape and for mental clarity and mental stimulation. We can overcome a lot of things. Now, I am not saying do it like me. Choose whichever battle you want to limit yourself to. Doing things, that you are not comfortable doing on a regular basis trains your mind in a different way. You are understanding that the decision making can be just dreading to leave the house to run. Once you start running, you are usually thinking different about this decision. When it’s colder outside, this feeling might hit you a little later, once your body’s internal temperature heat’s up a little. Also, for me personally, the minute I stop running my run and I get back to the house, I feel a certain way inside, that is really comfortable. I feel fresh, alive and ready to tackle the world.