Reasons to buy a Treadmill

Competitive Runners should generally run on the road. After all, how many races are there that are run on treadmills? Still, there are some good reasons to buy a treadmill. If any of the following describes your situation, then you should seriously consider buying a treadmill.

Family and Kids

Have a family? If so, then your schedule does not have the flexibility it once had. If you want to run while the kids are sleeping, whether early in the morning, late in the evening, or during an afternoon nap, then you just can't head out on the road unless somebody else is watching your kids. If this is your scenario, then you either buy a treadmill or don't run. While not ideal, pounding out 6 miles on a treadmill before the kids wake up is a lot better than no miles at all.

Injury Prevention

Running on a treadmill is generally less likely to cause a running injury than running outside.

• Assuming you buy a decent treadmill with decent cushioning, the impact on your joints will be reduced.
• You have the benefit of being able to run uphill without also going downhill. This is great if you want to run hill intervals but have problems running down hills.
• Potholes, curbs, and other uneven surfaces generally don't exist on treadmills.

Running injuries are usually repetitive use injuries. In this sense, sometimes treadmill use can contrubute to injuries since your legs don't experience the variety they they might experience on the road or on a trail. So make sure you vary the incline of your treadmill and get outside whenever you can. If you can spend some time on trails, that is even better.

Weather

You can run outside in all kinds of weather: heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, and even ice. (You need to be dressed appropriately and have the proper footwear.) Still, running outside when the roads are slippery can be dangerous for two reason: you can slip and fall, and vehicles may not be able to avoid you like they might when the roads are dry. If you can't find a safe place to run where the risk of getting hit by a car is minimized, then look into getting a treadmill. If you simply don't like the cold...well, don't be a wimp and get out there and run.

"Unsavory Characters"

OK, it's true, in some places in this country it is not safe for some people to run after dark. Nobody should run the risk of getting attacked, so if this describes your situation, then get a treadmill.

Running Barefoot

Yes, you read that correctly. Running barefoot is one of the best ways to learn proper technique. (See Explosive Running by Dr. Yessis or www.runningbarefoot.org for more info.) Running barefoot outside, however, can be difficult in the middle of winter. So try it first on a treadmill. This will toughen up your feet and strengthen the necessary muscles before you subject your feet to the really hard stuff outside. But remember, build barefoot running into your schedule very slowly so that your body has time to adapt. Too much too soon and you are headed for an injury. Again, see Explosive Running for a detailed discussion on barefoot running.

So there it is, the top five reasons to buy a treadmill. We still encourage you to run outside whenever possible, but running on a treadmill serves as an excellent backup when getting outside is not possible.

Other Resources

Treadmill Reviews

How to shop for a Treadmill