running outside

i always hear that running outside is better for you than running on a treadmill...does anybody know what the benefits are?? i ran outside today for a half hour at 6.5 mph.. i normally run on a treadmill for a half hour at 6 mph... aside from my going faster what are the other benefits?? are there actually any??? thanks !

more oxygen maybe?   and i think you need 30 minutes of sunshine every day to activate vitamin D.    plus, it's just stimulating and refreshing!!!!   makes me happier, anyway.   treadmills are just so......boring.

I like the variety you get from running outside - different terrain, uphill, downhill, the nature (I guess it helps when you live in a forest :P), the wind resistance, the weather, the fresh air... And I'm pretty sure that being outside in the daylight is a lot better for us than being inside in a stuffy room. :)

When you are running on the treadmill, the machine is actually doing some of the work for you. Running outside your legs have to work harder because you don't have the help from the momentum of the belt! As a result your heart and lungs are getting more work... and you feel less like a gerbil!

I way prefer running on a treadmill personally...

i think its definitely harder to run outside since you have the variable elements, such as wind, humidity, sun, heat, surface, grade, yada yada...whereas on a treadmill you are typically in a controlled climate

when its really hot or really humid - the heat index has been near 110 here in central texas for most of august - i can suuuuure feel it - sucks away my energy soooo much quicker - i dont even run outside in texas between july and september - its too freakin hot for me! i swim laps instead, or run on a treadmill in a cool comfy gym, but the big payoff here is that the winter down here is fantastic running weather

i think the treadmill is waaaay easier unless you crank the incline or your speed or both

thanks guys! i must admit, i do find the treadmill easier, but i enjoy running outside... i felt like i got more of a workout and the time seemed to go by faster.... i live on the east coast of canada though so the mornings are allready pretty cool and the winters are ...well... not so good for running.. so it looks like i don't have much time to run outside...but i plan on taking advantage of it while i can...

o canada! sounds so nice and cool...

It rained up here in VA this morning, water. It was cool if not downright cold. Luckily, I warmed up quick!

haha well the east coast is pretty cool, but the west coast stays pretty mild most of the time... we're supposed to get some sort of tropical storm next week... crossing my fingers that doesn't happen... yeah i was cold this morning when i started running too, but it didn't take me long to get a pretty good sweat going...

ack! hk, you lucky dog...you got remnants of ernesto, o how i rain-danced and pleaded for him to come our way! i just read this morning that we had our hottest august ever here in austin (also been our 4th driest ever)

***crawling and moaning...water...must...have...water...and quietly passes out from the heat***

I think you get more of a workout more resistance. It?s recommended that if you are running on a treadmill to always put your incline to at least 1 because it simulates the outdoor running.  

Treamill-
Downfalls - boring, predictable, no air movement around you, boring, space hog in the living room, boring, people don't see you if you get too dehydrated and pass out.
Upside - alternative to running outside when the weather is crappy, no one has to see you when you are wiping pouring sweat off yourself, no one sees you when you fall off and hit your bum.

Running outside -
Upside - fresh air, breathe it in, FRESH AIR, meet the neighbors and con them into joining you, unpredictable, every day is different, you get to change your routes, you get to find a cute running outfit to wear outside
Downside - you have to find a cute running outfit to wear outside (no PJ's please), if you get hit by a car in a crosswalk when you have the right of way (like I did), you still have to walk home.

I'm in HOT, HOT Texas too, so I understand the attraction of the treadmill. But it's just such a drag! I'd rather get out early in the morning and run before it gets super hot. I've found that when I run outdoors, my surroundings distract me from pain and I'm more likely to meet my goals for time, speed, etc. On the treadmill I tend to quit when I get bored, which doesn't take long.

I personally prefer running outside, for non-physical reasons. For me, when I run on a treadmill, I feel like I'm working and trying to lose weight, and that's pretty much it (not that there's anything wrong with feeling like that). But when I run outside, it's different. It doesn't feel so much like I'm exercising to lose weight--I feel like I'm already strong and healthy and even part of nature. When I run outside, I don't think about calories burned, but instead I think, "How far can I go? How fast can I do it?" I get a great sense of accomplishment when I run outside that I don't get on a treadmill. But maybe that's just me!

running outside is actually way harder on all your joints.  unless you are running on grass.   pavement is killer.  treadmills actually offer some cushioning  as compared to pavement.  I find running outside hard to keep pace, its easy to just stop and start walking unless I'm with a buddy.  

I think its a mind over matter thing and a preference thing.