Briana Hayes
Staff Writer

Snow is failing, winds are blowing, and rain is pelting. No wonder runners retreat to the safe and dry indoors and gyms to stay nice and warm during the winter. However, with the warmth comes the dreadful treadmill.

Most runners find a treadmill “boring.” There is no interaction with nature and the whole experience of running is really sacrificed so you can be warm.

There is actually a reason why running becomes so much more of a chore when done on the treadmill.

Our ancestors used to run over rocky and uneven terrain in order to survive. They did not have a choice. They had to run in order to hunt for their dinner and to avoid being another animal’s dinner.

The scenery of their runs was ever-changing; their pulses and blood pressure altered and surged with each step. Nothing was ever the same.

This experience is almost the exact opposite of running on a treadmill. While on the treadmill, a runner doesn’t actually move, the terrain is always constant, and the scenery definitely doesn’t change.

It turns out that the boredom runners feel is actually because they are missing the evolutionary expectations that are threaded into our very genes when it involves running.

In the past, running had different goals. You had to run to survive. Food was intrinsic to survival and you had to be fast enough to catch it for yourself. Now people are running to save their lives too, but in a totally different way.

Food is conveniently located in supermarkets and stores. There is usually always a supply and there is no need to rush to get it because it is always there. It cannot move.

People continue to run though, to prevent heart disease and remain healthy individuals. While this is still an important goal, basic survival no longer depends on running.

With a combination of the lack of the running experience and a lower internal drive to run, the boredom on treadmills can be easily explained.

That is possibly why people who listen to music or enjoy television while on the treadmill have a better experience. Their senses are being utilized and have at least some stimuli affecting them while running.

The treadmill also has other disadvantages that could be easily overlooked. In addition to the difference in psychological benefits of running on the treadmill, the mechanics of running are altered as well.

The machine that powers the treadmill impacts your running stride so that your quadriceps or the front of your thighs experience a much harder workout than your hamstrings, or the back of your thighs.

When running outdoors, your hamstrings would normally complete your stride, however the machine propels you and therefore hamstrings receive less of a workout. This can lead to stronger quads than hamstrings and can also unfortunately result in an injury.

Running outdoors strengthens your foot and ankle muscles with the uneven terrain. The constant shifting of the ground allows for those muscles to become stronger.
On a treadmill you do not have the differences in terrain and therefore you sacrifice the integrity of those muscles.

If you do choose the treadmill, try to add ankle and hamstring strengthening exercises to account for the differences from running outside. Treadmills do not have to be the enemy.

Running is always a beneficial act, whether it is indoors or outdoors. The boredom of the treadmill can be difficult to overcome and if it is really bothering you, plenty of runners face the cold and run outside all winter long.

Don’t let the cold prevent you from running.