Choice of running platform (pavement, grass, treadmill)

[gaidensensei]

assuming you live near a city, in a perfect time and weather scenario do you prefer running on the pavement or the treadmill?


Some thoughts I have about treadmills:
I have been running for a decade but still cannot adjust to the treadmill after the run due to spatial balance, dizziness after finishing.

I also can't adjust to the lack of blowing air, it makes me feel light headed and lose some motivation..

Although I must admit it's easier on the treadmill to pass time by watching TV, talking to others or whatnot.

 

[brad310]

i like the treadmill because:
1) less stress on the feet, knees, hips
2) it is hot and humid as hell almost year round
3) no risk from traffic, wild animals, etc

I do running for cardio at a gym tho...serious runners would probably never entertain it. I would have laughed at it in my army days, but things change as you get older.

 

[MotF Bane]

Definitely grass/dirt, so much softer than pavement, and cooler on a sunny day too.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Pavement for me. If I had some good natural trails near I'd love to do that but it's all concrete around me. I can't stand running indoors on a treadmill or indoors period.

 

[Megatomic]

TRAILS!! I voted natural, but I like my running to be on singletrack with rocks, roots, mud, and big big hills.

 

[Bateluer]

A variety, pavement, trails, maintained trails, etc. Anything but a treadmill really.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I've been using an elliptical (not really running I know) lately because my knees have been bothering me for a few months now. I get issues with dizziness on treadmills too. Running outside I try to make sure I'm on a rubberized track rather than concrete. Although being in the Air Force, I can't always choose what I'm running on.

 

[Away]

Rubberized track.

 

[Redfraggle]

Anything that doesn't run for me.

 

[mizzou]

Rubberized track.

I love a good rubberized track myself, but nothing beats a dirt trail IMO. Just feel so much more natural (as long as it's not too irregular) Only problem with tracks is the constant turning in one direction can cause tendon and joint problems. You COULD run the other way I guess but then your just doing the same thing to both sides.

Because of my location I run strictly on pavement and I hate it, but could be worse

 

[QueBert]

I jogged for a month on concrete, then I decided to try on asphalt. Wow what a difference, I'll never jog on concrete again.

 

[Megatomic]

...but nothing beats a dirt trail IMO. Just feel so much more natural (as long as it's not too irregular)...

Have you tried wild technical singletrack? Check out the pics in this thread. You won't run near as fast in actual mph as you would on groomed or paved trails, but you'll work just as hard and enjoy yourself immensely.

 

[gaidensensei]

I jogged for a month on concrete, then I decided to try on asphalt. Wow what a difference, I'll never jog on concrete again.

I've read somewhere, I forgot where: if it was a opinionated source or from a science site, that there's a difference for running on the asphalt vs the concrete.

Concrete was supposedly more likely to cause joint problems in long term running, but otherwise it is a little bit mitigated on the asphalt because there are holes and bumps in the ground so when the impact of your feet hit, you aren't getting some of that force back - since it gets lost to, in what they say in physics "inelastic collision".

 

[kamper]

I like a little barefoot running, but I'd generally rather do it on asphalt than grass. Debris can't hide on asphalt.

 

[tedrodai]

Among those choices, treadmill definitely. Rubberized track is even better. Just can't take the impact from hard surfaces (shin splints come easy). Some patches of grass/dirt are OK, but it's impossible to tell until I run on it, after which it's too late to prevent injury.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Nothing beats running on dirt single track. I refuse to run on a treadmill. I'd rather go running in a blizzard than running on one of them.

 

[Megatomic]

Nothing beats running on dirt single track. I refuse to run on a treadmill. I'd rather go running in a blizzard than running on one of them.

:thumbsup: