Transfering From the Treadmill to the Streets

My running often alternates between treadmills and streets, and it all depends on the weather and season. Since I begun training on the treadmill, I noticed that my times are different compared to my outdoor runs. And after I read a friend and fellow runners (Karen from la chanson de ma vie) blog post about the differences between the two runs, I had to share the info with my readers also. The chart (located below) from hillrunner.com provides the difference between treadmill and outdoor pacing. For example, on a 0% incline there is a 30 second difference in pace.

Besides wind being a contributing factor to pacing discrepancies, there are a few other variables that I have found to be problematic in transferring from the treadmill to the streets.

(1) Gym treadmills are notorious for having horrible calibrations. If you are running on a treadmill at the gym I suggest that you bring your own device to record your time, distance, and pace (for example your Garmin paired with the foot-pod accessory). I have experienced treadmills being off by over .5 a mile. And once I ran a treadmill that was off by 8 minutes. As a runner these are huge discrepancies (especially when we are picky over time and pace down to the second).

(2) Treadmill running doesn't require the runner to be hyper-aware of their surroundings. Treadmill running lacks numerous variables like potholes, cars, dogs, other runners/pedestrians, bikers, downhills, rain, sun, and I could go on and on. When transferring from indoor treadmills to outdoor streets, being aware of your surroundings makes running safer and easier.

(3) After running on the treadmill during the winter months, I had become accustom to using the gym television as a way to entertain my mind. When I had my first transfer from the gym to the streets, I found myself bored and dreading my miles. The boredom passed after a few weeks, but some runners might not wait that long and might find themselves wanting to give up before they have figured out how to train their minds to adjust to the long distance without distraction.

The truth is treadmill running also has some perks. It really depends on the runner and their preference. But it is important for all runners to be aware of how the running environment changes between the two, especially if you are training for an upcoming race.

Be Inspired, Stay Motivated, Run Strong!

Treadmill Pace Conversions

Because of lack of wind resistance while running on a treadmill, the effort of running on a treadmill at 0% incline is less than that of running on a level road at the same pace. Below is a chart that you can use to get approximate equivalent efforts between running on a treadmill at different paces and inclines and running outdoors on a level surface.

Treadmill MPH setting	Pace per mile	Equivalent paces by incline
		0%	1%	2%	3%	4%	5%	6%	7%	8%	9%	10%
5.0	12:00	12:31	11:44	11:05	10:32	10:03	9:38	9:16	8:56	8:38	8:22	8:07
5.2	11:32	12:02	11:18	10:42	10:11	9:44	9:20	8:59	8:40	8:23	8:08	7:54
5.4	11:07	11:35	10:55	10:20	9:51	9:26	9:03	8:43	8:25	8:09	7:55	7:41
5.6	10:43	11:10	10:32	10:00	9:33	9:09	8:48	8:29	8:12	7:56	7:42	7:29
5.8	10:21	10:47	10:12	9:42	9:16	8:53	8:33	8:15	7:58	7:44	7:30	7:18
6.0	10:00	10:26	9:52	9:24	9:00	8:38	8:19	8:02	7:46	7:32	7:19	7:07
6.1	9:50	10:15	9:43	9:16	8:52	8:31	8:12	7:55	7:40	7:26	7:14	7:02
6.2	9:41	10:05	9:34	9:08	8:44	8:24	8:06	7:49	7:34	7:21	7:08	6:57
6.3	9:31	9:56	9:26	9:00	8:37	8:17	7:59	7:43	7:29	7:15	7:03	6:52
6.4	9:23	9:46	9:17	8:52	8:30	8:10	7:53	7:37	7:23	7:10	6:58	6:47
6.5	9:14	9:37	9:09	8:45	8:23	8:04	7:47	7:32	7:18	7:05	6:53	6:43
6.6	9:05	9:29	9:01	8:37	8:16	7:58	7:41	7:26	7:13	7:00	6:49	6:38
6.7	8:57	9:20	8:53	8:30	8:10	7:52	7:35	7:21	7:07	6:55	6:44	6:34
6.8	8:49	9:12	8:45	8:23	8:03	7:46	7:30	7:15	7:02	6:50	6:40	6:29
6.9	8:42	9:04	8:39	8:17	7:57	7:40	7:24	7:10	6:58	6:46	6:35	6:25
7.0	8:34	8:56	8:32	8:10	7:51	7:34	7:19	7:05	6:53	6:41	6:31	6:21
7.1	8:27	8:49	8:25	8:04	7:45	7:29	7:14	7:00	6:48	6:37	6:27	6:17
7.2	8:20	8:41	8:18	7:58	7:40	7:23	7:09	6:56	6:44	6:33	6:22	6:13
7.3	8:13	8:34	8:12	7:52	7:34	7:18	7:04	6:51	6:39	6:28	6:18	6:09
7.4	8:06	8:27	8:05	7:46	7:28	7:13	6:59	6:46	6:35	6:24	6:14	6:05
7.5	8:00	8:20	7:59	7:40	7:23	7:08	6:54	6:42	6:31	6:20	6:11	6:02
7.6	7:54	8:14	7:53	7:34	7:18	7:03	6:50	6:38	6:26	6:16	6:07	5:58
7.7	7:48	8:07	7:47	7:29	7:13	6:58	6:45	6:33	6:22	6:12	6:03	5:55
7.8	7:42	8:01	7:41	7:24	7:08	6:54	6:41	6:29	6:18	6:09	5:59	5:51
7.9	7:36	7:55	7:36	7:18	7:03	6:49	6:37	6:25	6:15	6:05	5:56	5:48
8.0	7:30	7:49	7:30	7:13	6:58	6:45	6:32	6:21	6:11	6:01	5:52	5:44
8.1	7:24	7:43	7:25	7:08	6:54	6:40	6:28	6:17	6:07	5:58	5:49	5:41
8.2	7:19	7:38	7:20	7:04	6:49	6:36	6:24	6:13	6:03	5:54	5:46	5:38
8.3	7:14	7:32	7:15	6:59	6:45	6:32	6:20	6:10	6:00	5:51	5:42	5:35
8.4	7:09	7:27	7:10	6:54	6:40	6:28	6:16	6:06	5:56	5:47	5:39	5:32
8.5	7:04	7:22	7:05	6:50	6:36	6:24	6:13	6:02	5:53	5:44	5:36	5:29
8.6	6:59	7:16	7:00	6:45	6:32	6:20	6:09	5:59	5:49	5:41	5:33	5:26
8.7	6:54	7:11	6:55	6:41	6:28	6:16	6:05	5:55	5:46	5:38	5:30	5:23
8.8	6:49	7:07	6:51	6:37	6:24	6:12	6:02	5:52	5:43	5:35	5:27	5:20
8.9	6:44	7:02	6:46	6:32	6:20	6:09	5:58	5:49	5:40	5:32	5:24	5:17
9.0	6:40	6:57	6:42	6:28	6:16	6:05	5:55	5:45	5:37	5:29	5:21	5:14
9.1	6:36	6:52	6:38	6:24	6:12	6:01	5:51	5:42	5:34	5:26	5:18	5:11
9.2	6:31	6:48	6:34	6:20	6:09	5:58	5:48	5:39	5:31	5:23	5:16	5:09
9.3	6:27	6:44	6:29	6:17	6:05	5:55	5:45	5:36	5:28	5:20	5:13	5:06
9.4	6:23	6:39	6:25	6:13	6:02	5:51	5:42	5:33	5:25	5:17	5:10	5:04
9.5	6:19	6:35	6:22	6:09	5:58	5:48	5:39	5:30	5:22	5:14	5:08	5:01
9.6	6:15	6:31	6:18	6:06	5:55	5:45	5:35	5:27	5:19	5:12	5:05	4:59
9.7	6:11	6:27	6:14	6:02	5:51	5:42	5:32	5:24	5:16	5:09	5:02	4:56
9.8	6:07	6:23	6:10	5:59	5:48	5:38	5:30	5:21	5:14	5:07	5:00	4:54
9.9	6:04	6:19	6:07	5:55	5:45	5:35	5:27	5:19	5:11	5:04	4:58	4:51
10.0	6:00	6:15	6:03	5:52	5:42	5:32	5:24	5:16	5:08	5:02	4:55	4:49
10.1	5:56	6:12	6:00	5:49	5:39	5:29	5:21	5:13	5:06	4:59	4:53	4:47
10.2	5:53	6:08	5:56	5:45	5:36	5:27	5:18	5:11	5:03	4:57	4:50	4:45
10.3	5:50	6:04	5:53	5:42	5:33	5:24	5:16	5:08	5:01	4:54	4:48	4:42
10.4	5:46	6:01	5:50	5:39	5:30	5:21	5:13	5:05	4:58	4:52	4:46	4:40
10.5	5:43	5:57	5:46	5:36	5:27	5:18	5:10	5:03	4:56	4:50	4:44	4:38
10.6	5:40	5:54	5:43	5:33	5:24	5:15	5:08	5:00	4:54	4:47	4:41	4:36
10.7	5:36	5:51	5:40	5:30	5:21	5:13	5:05	4:58	4:51	4:45	4:39	4:34
10.8	5:33	5:48	5:37	5:27	5:18	5:10	5:03	4:56	4:49	4:43	4:37	4:32
10.9	5:30	5:44	5:34	5:24	5:16	5:08	5:00	4:53	4:47	4:41	4:35	4:30
11.0	5:27	5:41	5:31	5:22	5:13	5:05	4:58	4:51	4:45	4:39	4:33	4:28
11.2	5:21	5:35	5:25	5:16	5:08	5:00	4:53	4:46	4:40	4:34	4:29	4:24
11.4	5:16	5:29	5:20	5:11	5:03	4:55	4:49	4:42	4:36	4:30	4:25	4:20
11.6	5:10	5:24	5:14	5:06	4:58	4:51	4:44	4:38	4:32	4:27	4:21	4:17
11.8	5:05	5:18	5:09	5:01	4:53	4:46	4:40	4:34	4:28	4:23	4:18	4:13
12.0	5:00	5:13	5:04	4:56	4:49	4:42	4:36	4:30	4:24	4:19	4:14	4:10