198. Transitioning From Treadmill Back Outside After Winter

www.run4prs.com It has been a tough and long winter for those of us living in the upper regions of the US. A lot of runners in the midwest will use the treadmill for the majority of the winter due to poor footing or sub zero temps. The treadmill is a great tool for runners to stay consistent in the winter, however, we know that as the spring approaches runners are eager to say goodbye to the treadmill and transition outside. We wanted to do an episode about transitioning back outside because while it can seem like a relatively straightforward task, we should approach cautiously because outdoor running can be harder on the body than the treadmill

Cite studies about treadmill surface being softer/more bounce/give than outdoor running

The surface is softer on your joints: Treadmills are typically a much softer surface to run on, and therefore softer on the joints. Looking after your joints can help you reduce injuries, and keep running for longer.

Research on the differences between treadmill and outside

More muscle activation: Compared to running on the treadmill, when you run on the road, or the trail, you’re having to use more muscles to grab the ground and push off. One of the downsides of running on the treadmill is that the belt assists leg turnover, meaning you don't have to work quite as hard. When running outside, you’re also forced to not just move in a linear motion, as you’ll often find you have to dodge people, cars, and objects on the sidewalk as you move.

Moving on the lateral plans vs side to side

Incorporating band work side to side?

https://breakingmuscle.com/train-the-lateral-plane-for-maximum-athleticism/

https://www.kinetic-revolution.com/multi-planar-strength-for-triathlon-and-running/

Assess how many miles per week were on the treadmill

Example: averaged 30 miles a week the past 6 weeks and 25 of them were on the treadmill

Week 1 transition outside aim for 10-15 miles outside

Week 2 translation outside aim for 15-20 miles outside

Week 3 transition outside aim for 20-25 miles outside

Week 4 transition outside aim for 25-30 miles outside

It might be good to ease into things and give yourself 4-6 weeks to go from majority treadmill to 100% outside. Can you get away with more? Possibly but we would rather be safe

Running on softer surfaces may also help: consider the trails

Try not to add in too many variables at once. If you haven’t been running workouts or long runs, try not to add that in during this transition time.