Does treadmill distance count the same as running outside?

Yes, a kilometer or a mile on the treadmill is still a kilometer or a mile. The effort can feel a little different, and treadmill displays aren’t always perfectly accurate, but your training counts just the same.

Can I train for a 5K race only on a treadmill?

You can. It helps to do a few runs outside in the last couple of weeks before the race, so your legs get used to pacing yourself and to real ground, bends and small hills.

How do I record a treadmill run on my phone?

Most running apps have an indoor or treadmill mode that tracks your time and lets you add the distance from the treadmill display. In the Run app you can log treadmill and indoor runs, or add a run by hand afterwards.

Is it bad to run on a treadmill every time?

Not at all. Plenty of runners do most or all of their running indoors. As with any running, two or three easy runs a week with rest days in between is the right place to start.

Treadmill running for beginners: how to start and enjoy it

Treadmill running is a great way for beginners to start: the surface is flat and predictable, the weather doesn’t matter, and you can control your speed exactly. Begin with a 5-minute walk at about 3 to 3.5 mph (5 to 5.5 km/h), then alternate short, easy jogs with walking breaks, at a speed where you can still talk. Set the incline to 1% so it feels a bit more like running outside, and don’t hold the handrails while you run.

Is treadmill running good for beginners?

Yes. A treadmill takes away many things that make starting out hard. There are no hills you didn’t expect, no traffic, no dark evenings, and nobody watching. You can stop the moment you need to, and there’s always a toilet and water nearby.

It’s also a good choice if you feel self-conscious about running outside, if you’re carrying some extra weight and want an even, slightly softer surface, or if you simply prefer to run while watching something.

The main downsides: it can feel boring, and running outside will feel a bit different when you try it. Both are easy to deal with.

What speed should a beginner run on a treadmill?

Choose a running speed where you can still talk in full sentences, usually somewhere between 4 and 5.5 mph (6.5 and 9 km/h) for a beginner, and lower is fine. Every treadmill is a little different and so is every runner, so use these speeds as a starting point and adjust by feel:

What you’re doing	Speed (mph)	Speed (km/h)	Pace per mile	Pace per km
Warm-up and walk breaks	3.0–3.5	5.0–5.5	17:00–20:00	11:00–12:00
Very easy jog	4.0	6.5	15:00	9:20
Easy jog	4.5–5.0	7.2–8.0	12:00–13:20	7:30–8:20
Comfortable run	5.5–6.0	8.9–9.7	10:00–11:00	6:10–6:45

If you want to turn a treadmill speed into a pace, or the other way round, our treadmill pace converter does it in a second. And if you’re not sure what “easy” should feel like, read how slow you should run. The talk test works just as well indoors.

What incline should you use on a treadmill?

Set the incline to 1% for running. On a flat treadmill there’s no wind and the belt helps your legs along a little, so many runners find that a 1% slope makes the effort feel closer to running outside. For walk breaks, 0% or 1% are both fine.

Don’t crank the incline up high as a beginner. Steep inclines put extra strain on your calves and Achilles tendons (the cord at the back of your ankle).

What does a first treadmill workout look like?

Your first session should be mostly walking with short bits of gentle running. Here’s a simple one, about 30 minutes in total:

Step on with the belt stopped, clip the safety key to your clothes, and start the belt at a slow walk.
Walk for 5 minutes, building to a brisk walk of 3 to 3.5 mph (5 to 5.5 km/h).
Raise the speed to an easy jog for 1 minute.
Lower the speed back to a brisk walk for 2 minutes.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 six or seven times.
Walk for 5 minutes to cool down, slowing gradually before you stop the belt.

Then build up as you would outside, making the running bits longer and the walks shorter over the weeks. The run-walk method explains how. Two or three sessions a week, with rest days between them, is plenty; see how often beginners should run.

How do you stay safe on a treadmill?

Clip on the safety key, look ahead, and change speed in small steps. The main safety rules:

Use the safety clip. If you stumble, it stops the belt.
Start and stop slowly. Never jump onto a moving belt or step off one at speed.
Look forward, not down at your feet, and stay near the front of the belt.
Don’t hold the handrails while running. It changes how you move and can strain your shoulders and back. Use them only to get on and off, or to steady yourself.
Keep a towel and water within reach, but not on the belt.
Wear running shoes, not socks or bare feet.

If you feel dizzy, sick or have chest pain, stop the belt, step off carefully and get medical advice.

How do you stop treadmill running from being boring?

Give your brain something to do. A few ideas:

Watch something. Save a series you enjoy for treadmill days only.
Use intervals. Run/walk sessions pass faster than one long, unchanging run, because there’s always a change coming up.
Listen to music, podcasts or an audio coach. Run’s audio coach, with a male or female voice, tells you when to run and walk.
Cover the display with a towel and stop watching the clock.
Play with the incline. A gentle 2% for a minute, then back to 1%, mixes things up.

Is treadmill running easier than running outside?

A little, for most people. The belt is flat, the pace is steady and there’s no wind, so your first outdoor runs may feel slightly harder. That’s normal. Slow down a touch outside, add a few outdoor runs to your week when you can, and your legs will get used to both.

To keep everything in one place, Run lets you track treadmill and indoor runs, or add a run manually, alongside your outdoor ones. You can see what else it tracks on the features page.