Posts: 841
4/19/10 11:54 A

Running outside is actually a lot more challenging because of the unstable surface of the road, and you don't have the added benefit of the treadmill doing some of the work for you. One thing I used when I started running outside was my MP3 player...I made sure to make a playlist that had music with fast beats that I could keep my pace matched to. That really went a long way in helping me maintain a pretty good speed. But I agree with some of the other comments...don't worry about speed so much right now, because you need to take the time to get used to the change in surface.

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Posts: 639
4/18/10 9:33 P

Me too! I ran outside for the first time yesterday. I am getting ready for a 5k, and figured as much as I hate hate hate running outside, it's probably a smart idea to not wait til the day of the race to try it.

I ran to the same music inside and outside, so that helped keep my pace up. I was also running on a measured track outside, so that let me know how far I was running.

We can do this!

current weight: 146.0

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Posts: 24
4/16/10 9:02 A

I just recently made the jump from the treadmill to the great outdoors. I agree, it does feel like more of a challenge outside, on real ground. There's wind and natural hills, loose dirt and uneven terrain. Oh, and pedestrians who wave their arms to point at something to their walking partner, and then subsequently smack you in the face as you try to pass them. *bink*

I've been running 4 miles/day on a treadmill, and after just two miles outside, I noticed I was huffing and puffing a bit. After recognizing that they are, indeed, two different animals, I decided to say to myself before each run outdoors, "No pain." This way, I remember to slow it down, pace my breathing, and so what if I ran more miles yesterday? I can do fewer today, not press myself too hard, and feel great because of it.

Posts: 43
4/14/10 10:19 A

I have a Nike+ and it tells me my pace. I was talking to a guy at the local running store and he said running outside vs the treadmill are 2 different animals. You work a lot herder outside because you are moving your whole body vs the treadmill moving below you.

I, personally, LOVE running outside. Good luck!

Posts: 914
4/14/10 7:35 A

You could also map your route in advance, and time yourself so that at least you know your speed afterwards. It will help you calibrate for the future.

Posts: 961
3/24/10 10:33 A

You probably were running slower outside but don't think about speed right now just work on getting time in and getting your body used to the non-moving ground. I am doing my an 8 week program from Runners World and am using both outdoors and treadmill depending on weather conditions.

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Posts: 1,286
3/23/10 9:51 P

I would like to know too! I ran for the first time last night and enjoyed it sooooo much :)

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Posts: 16
3/23/10 9:17 P

I am doing the C25K but have been running inside due to allergies. But I am visiting where my allergens don't exist/aren't out yet so I ran outside today. I am absolutely terrible at measuring of any kind so I think I was running slower than normal. Any tips for keeping a steady pace without a treadmill to keep track?