Tips for taking your run from the treadmill to outdoors
Now that we got that pesky spring snow out of the way, we’re headed towards sunnier days and warmer temperatures – and you know what that means right? You can finally ditch the monotony of the treadmill and take your workout to the great outdoors!
Health.com’s freelancer and certified personal trainer, Tina Haupert, shares her top tips to help you transition your running from indoors to outside.
Ease into it
When the temperatures start to heat up, it can be tempting to say bye-bye to the treadmill and head on to greener pastures, but that can lead sore muscles quick – so it’s better to ease into your outdoor run. “I slowly transition my running from indoors to outdoors by swapping one treadmill run with one outside,” says Haupert. “That way, my joints and muscles have time to adjust to the new running surfaces.” Once your legs acclimate themselves to the road or trail, start adding two outside runs to your weekly schedule, then three, and so on, until you’ve fully transitioned yourself away from the treadmill.
Seek out soft surfaces
Road running can place a lot of stress on the connective tissues in your legs, especially if they’ve gotten used to the forgiveness and stability of the treadmill. So instead of hitting the pavement right away, head over to your local track for a few weeks first – the spongy surface is much more forgiving on knees and other joints. Even a local running trail can be a good transition step before hitting harder surfaces like pavement. “Once my joints and muscles have had a chance to adapt to the more cushy terrain, I then take my runs to the open road,” Haupert explains.
Split long runs between the treadmill and outside
If you’re training for a distance run like a marathon or half-marathon, chances are your program will have you taking long runs a few times a week. Instead of trying to log those miles all inside or outside, Haupert splits her long runs in half – suggesting that runners-in-training “run half of the miles indoors on the treadmill and the rest outside,” so you can get the best of both worlds. “I save my legs by sticking to the treadmill, but I also start to get my body ready for outdoor terrain and racing.”
Don’t get frustrated
“Every year when I transition my running from indoors to outdoors, I inevitably get frustrated because I feel so much slower outside,” says Haupert. After all, running outside provides a completely different environment than the confines of a gym – one that is generally hotter and hillier, with a lot more wind to fight against. So instead of letting your frustrations get the best of you, start your outdoor transition with an open mind, and remind yourself that the switch is a marathon, not a sprint!
For the full article, check out Health.com.
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