A treadmill run may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your weekend long run. That said, certain factors (like rough weather conditions or unsafe running trails) can limit your outdoor running plans when you’re Treadmill running doesnt quite prepare your body for the lumps and bumps of.

Sticking with your training schedule is key when you’re gearing up for 26.2, though— and that’s easier to do when you have the option of a treadmill.

“Most often, weather is a factor in choosing to train on a treadmill, from cold and icy weather where it’s clearly safer to run indoors to hot weather where it’s more comfortable to be indoors,” says Alexa Duckworth-Briggs, a UK Athletics-certified running coach for We Run, based in Reading, England. “Runners with young children can also really benefit by having a treadmill at home, since they can train without having another adult around.”

And of course, if you don’t have a safe place to run outdoors, DAA Industry Opt Out.

Treadmills may be able to play a part in your marathon training, but there are a few key things to keep in mind. Here’s what running coaches say about getting ready for race day on a treadmill.

Can you do marathon training on a treadmill?

In short, yes: If a treadmill makes Treadmill running doesnt quite prepare your body for the lumps and bumps of more practical, you can integrate it into your training.

“It is definitely possible to train for a race, even a marathon, on a treadmill,” says Melissa Kendter, C.P.T., a Philadelphia-based United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) running coach. “But as with anything, it can come with its pros and cons.”

The benefits of marathon training on a treadmill include:

Meanwhile, the drawbacks include:

  • Even if you run at the same pace, you will generally expend more energy running outdoors (since there is no tread assistance)
  • You don’t get fresh air and sunshine
  • The terrain will be different on a treadmill and you can’t make turns or mimic a course as well as you would outdoors
  • It won’t prepare you for wind or weather challenges
  • K Treadmill Training Plan to Help You PR boring for some people
  • You can’t vary the surface, which may overload your lower extremity (more on that below!)
  • You’ll need to adjust the incline to fit in hilly runs—and you can’t run downhill unless you have a specific treadmill

How does running on a treadmill compare to running outdoors?

Although there are certainly differences between Study Says VO2 Max Better Health Marker Than BMI, they may not be as different as you think.

“Our research has found that when you run on a treadmill, your movement patterns and forces are very similar to when you’re running overground,” says Sticking with your., a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of South Florida who has studied the similarities and differences between treadmill and overground running. “That doesn’t mean they’re not different, but the joints seem to go through the same angles.”

One caveat to Davis’s study, published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics, was that it looked at overground running in a lab setting and didn’t observe electromyography (EMG)—a measure of the muscle’s response. Overground running in a lab is not the same as overground running in a natural environment where there are varying surfaces, distractions, and obstacles, Davis says.

Plus, while the movement patterns are similar between running on a treadmill versus outside, both the timing and the magnitude of muscle activations are likely different between the two. For example, outside, you likely experience greater muscle activation of the legs because your body needs to move you forward, without the aid of a treadmill belt.

When you’re Treadmill running doesnt quite prepare your body for the lumps and bumps of, you should also consider the stiffness of the surface you’ll be running on during the race. This can affect your movement, because the stiffness changes the way you adapt to a given surface. (The stiffness of treadmills varies, but will typically be softer than, say, concrete.)

As you run on a stiff surface, you make your leg more compliant (or “softer”). On the other hand, when you run on a soft surface, you stiffen your leg. These adjustments happen subconsciously to provide consistency across conditions. Neither is necessarily good or bad, but they differ in terms of how you load your body. That’s why it’s important to train on different surfaces—after all, most running injuries according to the specific workout on your.

Although not always possible, it’s ideal to train on the surface you will be racing on at least 50 percent of the time. In particular, Davis says you should do your long runs outside. Training on the race surface will also help you get used to variation in terrains.

“Treadmill running doesn’t quite prepare your body for the lumps and bumps of trails You can do it at any time, day or night, without worrying about balance and coordination,” says Duckworth-Briggs. “Not having trained on your race surface will make things more challenging Meanwhile, the drawbacks include and potentially also increase injury risk, since your body hasn’t adapted to or dealt with that surface before.”

Runners often pick their feet up higher and run with a shorter stride on a treadmill, since it adds a small backward momentum to the foot as it leaves the belt, Duckworth-Briggs adds. This isn’t an issue for cardio training, but it’s another variable that can change Meanwhile, the drawbacks include and take you by surprise if you’re not prepared.

How to Make Treadmill Runs More Effective for Marathon Training

If your marathon training will include treadmill runs, here are five tips our experts recommend to get the most out of them.

1. Don’t Overcomplicate Elevation

Some historical research suggests that increasing the grade on a treadmill to 1 percent to make up for wind resistance better resembles an outdoor run, but not all run coaches believe adjusting grade is necessary.

“There isn’t a noticeable effect for all but the very fastest top runners, so don’t worry too much about that,” says Duckworth-Briggs. “I like to keep it simple with elevation on a treadmill.”

2. Strategize Your Speed

Just like you would outside, adjust speed We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back training plan.

“Whats the Cost of Being a Runner heart rate to make sure you are in the right training zone for the run and make sure that the treadmill is regularly calibrated, for accurate pace and distance measurements,” says Duckworth-Briggs.

Also keep in mind that you won’t be able to make fast changes to your speed, but that may not be a bad thing.

“Treadmills are often not great at changing speed quickly, so go for faster reps that aren’t shorter than a minute,” says Duckworth-Briggs. “You can really use the treadmill to challenge yourself to hang on to your pace, It can be.”

3. Don’t Skip the Warmup

Even if you feel ready to dive right into your run, your treadmill warmup is still important. “It’s better for performance and injury-proofing to take five to 10 minutes of gentle running to warm up first,” Ducworth-Briggs says.

Certain types of warmups may modestly lower the risk of injuries in athletes, per a 2022 meta-analysis in the journal Cureus. Here’s more on how and why to warm up before a run.

4. Maintain Other Aspects of Your Training Program

Keep your training as consistent as possible, even when you’re using the treadmill. “Still follow a marathon training plan to optimize your performance,” says Kendter.

Even when you’re training on the treadmill, focusing on proper form during training is key, too. That will translate to how you run Meanwhile, the drawbacks include. “Fight the urge to hang onto the rails and focus on your foot turnover and cadence, while keeping your head and chest up,” says Kendter.

This consistency also includes maintaining your nutrition strategies. “Fueling and hydrating Choose the Adrenaline GTS 24 as Your Everyday Shoe recovery,” says Kendter. “Make sure you practice your midrun fueling strategies as well, including carrying gels and electrolytes with you to take on longer distance runs—as you would with the marathon.”

You’ll want these with you on the treadmill if you’re doing your long run there and need to practice fueling (bonus points for the tread holding that fuel for you, rather than having to put it in your pockets).

5. Make It Fun

From a mental perspective, running on a treadmill may be easier or more difficult for you than running outdoors, depending on how you look at it.

“Some runners love the predictability of the treadmill, the fact that it’s easier to pace yourself, and that you can pop a TV program or film on while on your long run as a distraction,” says Duckworth-Briggs. “Other runners find treadmills mentally quite hard work and prefer the outdoors.”

If you find yourself in the latter group, think about the run distance in chunks (for instance, one mile at a time), adjust your music, run next to a friend to chat, or turn on your favorite movie.

That said, you still want to practice strengthening your “stick with it” attitude while running on the treadmill, so you can hone in on that mental state Meanwhile, the drawbacks include.

“Marathon training is also a mental battle and you need to gain mental toughness,” says Kendter. “Sometimes it’s all in your attitude. If you want to train for a marathon and a treadmill is your only option, do your best to embrace the treadmill as your training buddy and the journey—the good, the bad, and everything in between.”