| When you take time to analyze it, what does a | | | | workouts. But there are some drawbacks: |
| treadmill do for a runner or walker? It forces him or her | | | | - You will shorten the life of your treadmill by exposing |
| to run or walk at a particular speed and on a particular | | | | it to the elements of nature. |
| incline. And it does this for minute after minute and, in | | | | - Your scenery will never change. |
| the extreme, even hour after hour. | | | | - You are not running or walking with others -- unless |
| In contrast, when you are running or walking on the | | | | you have multiple, side-by-side treadmills outside! |
| road or trail, unless you have someone with a very | | | | - You cannot use it in weather extremes (such as |
| fixed speed who runs or walks beside you and | | | | lightning-free rain or in snow), unless it is covered and |
| relentlessly tells you to keep his or her pace, it can be | | | | protected -- not exactly as "outside" as you would get |
| very challenging to maintain your pace (minutes per | | | | by being on the road or trail! |
| mile or kilometer) and cadence (steps per minute). | | | | - You cannot take it with you when traveling. |
| If you and this other person have a similar cadence, | | | | Although it is difficult to imitate a treadmill's constant or |
| then you are at an advantage over someone who is | | | | controllable incline on the road or trail, there are two |
| training with a coach who is much shorter or taller than | | | | portable gadgets that you can use to imitate a |
| him or her (because their two cadences will be | | | | treadmill's ability to challenge you to maintain your pace |
| different because of widely different leg lengths). If you | | | | and cadence. |
| have ever had the same cadence as a running or | | | | |
| walking partner, then you can well appreciate this. It | | | | 1. GPS wrist unit: This is like a speedometer on your |
| makes the workout almost effortless because your | | | | wrist. Configure yours so that it displays in large digits |
| body is mirroring the pace and cadence of the other | | | | your current pace, and then check it often during a |
| body. Another example can be found in the tennis | | | | workout on the road or trail. You can even configure |
| world. If you have ever seen identical twins play | | | | some units so that they beep at you when your pace |
| doubles tennis together, then you have very likely | | | | drifts too far away from your target pace. |
| witnessed how they can naturally walk in almost | | | | 2. Portable metronome: This clip-on device is like a |
| perfect unison. American professional tennis players | | | | tachometer on your waist. Set it to beep for every |
| and identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan are a great | | | | step according to the cadence that works for you. |
| example of this phenomenon. | | | | Then simply move your legs and feet to keep this |
| So how can you get the benefits of a treadmill while | | | | rhythm during your walk or run. |
| running or walking outside? If you have your own | | | | These are the only two gadgets that you need to |
| treadmill, then you could put it outside for your | | | | create a portable, virtual treadmill. |