When it comes to making the most out of a run when weather is not a
factor – but time is, Ask yourself the question: Outside or inside?
In the winter my default choice for a run is the gym treadmill. This can
be a good and a bad thing. A good thing in that you keep your pact with
yourself (for me that’s running every other day, which I’ve done, absent injury,
since the late 1970s). A bad thing? I don’t advise as a routine (nor do some
personal trainers I know) running long distances on the treadmill. The reason
being that your foot strikes do not vary, so that the body-pounding is uniform
and repetitive. Combine repetition and long distance and you run (pardon the
expression) a greater risk of injury than the alternative.
The alternative? Running outside. Which I’m doing (and you should too!)
in the current fine weather we are enjoying. Running on asphalt, park trails,
sidewalks, up and down curbs, etc., and you’ll vary your foot strikes. More of
the body gets engaged. Keep a steady pace and it’ll pose less of a threat of
strain on your joints, hamstrings, and be less of an injury risk than long
distance treadmill running.
So, in fine weather, I use the treadmill to pace-run. If I have only,
say, 30-35 minutes, max, I’ll hop on board and run uptempo (for me these days,
that’s at best a 8:30-minute mile) in order to get a sweat up.
Inside definitely has its place in a Running for Your Life regimen. In
New York City where I call home, too often time is short, and if I’m going to
keep my promise to myself and run every other day, I need to run inside. The
beauty of the park trail can wait when time is on my side!
Next: Running for Your Life: Primary
School
