I love running and have run on a wide variety of surfaces in my running career, from sand to cinder, grass to cement, and gravel to wooden planks (Compare Training Surfaces). However, I have a confession to make about one running surface in particular. As the title of this article might tip you off, I’m referring to treadmills. To put it kindly, I loathe treadmills. I honestly hate them or any other kind of derogatory word you can insert before the word treadmill. I have severe difficulty finding anything good about them to be honest. I’m not entirely unreasonable though and can admit that for some people a treadmill is a great way to train and for others the most convenient. However, there is a price for this convenience and its not just in the form of a gym membership.

My first experience with a treadmill came when I was twelve years old. I thought it was the coolest workout equipment ever. For me it seemed a perfect escape from having to train on a crowded indoor 200 meter circular track or a plowed cement parking lot, during the cold and snowy New Jersey winter. I had bought into this miracle treadmill solution and tried my first workout. Climbing aboard and hitting the speed button, the whirring sound began. I began running and just never got comfortable, the speed was either too fast or too slow and I couldn’t use my stride. The allure was gone and it was replaced with discomfort.

Years later I still hate treadmills. In part because I had to do a considerable amount of physical therapy on them and for several other reasons, as followed.

Read About Injury Prevention

1. Stride
I hate being constrained in my turnover. Normally, when running outside its simple to change your pace or stride depending on how you feel. I enjoy being able to do so without the benefit of hitting multiple buttons. Even when you do hit these buttons it still doesn’t mean you will be be able to align your stride perfect to it. I’m always frightened when running on a treadmill that I will end up forgetting I’m not outside and stride a tad bit too far, right off the machine. The constrained stride can’t possibly be good for your body. Constricting movements such as this surely have consequences. I’ve felt such especially in my back and hips post-treadmill workout.

2. Going Nowhere
Is there anything more aggravating than doing so much work and feeling like you’ve gotten nowhere? I have difficulty staying inspired to run faster on a treadmill when I don’t feel like I’m accomplishing anything. Also, there is usually nothing to look at to distract you from this fact. You look around in a gym and you find yourself either faced toward a wall or somebody that looks as miserable as you do. No thanks, I will take the outdoors and whatever terrible weather it comes along with.

3. Stomping
It should not sound like you’re performing in the broadway musical Stomp when you are working out. When I’ve run in a gym on a treadmill, with all the equipment sounds going on it feels as though I’m one person-on-a-treadmill away from finding myself in the midst of a choreographed dance number. There is absolutely no way to run softly on a treadmill. You speed up and it sounds as though your footsteps progressively get louder. This stomping on a thin belt of material and metal pieces, in no way can be good for shins, knees or hips.4. No Diversity
Granted, it is possible to select pre-set workouts but lets face it the options are terrible. If I want to run up a hill, I have to keep pressing buttons. If I want to speed up, more buttons. If I want to run a little longer than originally expected, you’ve guessed it – more buttons. Its such a waste of time to have to fiddle around to set up a workout, that in reality is doing a disservice to you.There are so many more options to create a workout when running anywhere other than on a treadmill. Nobody’s body is the same, so should we really believe that a pre-set is the best thing for us? Its better to figure out something that works best specifically for you.Honorable Mentions
1. The frightening prospect of falling and becoming a Youtube video.
2. When your headphones get caught on the sidebars.
3. Accidentally pulling out the emergency stop clip in mid-sprint.

Treadmills are great for some but certainly not for everyone. Noticing any of these troubles, specifically in regards to pain and discomfort should definitely be a sign to turn off the treadmill and step outside.

Suggested Reading: 5 Ways to Spice Up Your Treadmill Life

About the Author: Marie Walsh is a senior at Rice University, who runs for the Owl’s Cross Country and Track & Field Team. An avid runner, she loves to learn whatever she can about the sport and spread the knowledge.

Follow Marie on Twitter @MarieAWalsh 

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