Running outdoors versus indoors

Pacing Mule

My understanding was that running outdoors was considered tougher and generally slower time wise. However I've found it the other way round. This is a copy and paste from my own training log ..

This morning I had my first run (with a bit of walking along the way!) outdoors and I really enjoyed it. I found a great location to run - beechfield park, just behind Clonsilla train station. There is a path around the park which measures very close to exactly 1 kilometre per lap (it's a fraction more than 1km but only just) As such it's a great spot to run laps around and with the car park being in the middle you're never too far from the car if at any point you needed to call it a day. It's also relatively flat - a small incline and decline on each circuit but you don't feel like you're running up mountains.

There's certainly some difference between running on a threadmill in the gym versus the outdoors and I wonder if others found the same ?

• I found myself running at a faster pace than on the threadmill but being more comfortable doing so. I couldn't believe how fast I covered the first lap and how comfortable it was to do so.
• I wasn't as thirsty - In the gym my throat goes very dry and I constantly need to take in water whereas this morning despite leaving a drink on the bonnet of the car which I passed 8 times in total doing my circuit I didn't actually need a drink at all.
• You tend to run a bit longer when you don't have to do an action of leaning forward to adjust speed on the threadmill. It's like because you have the ability to ease off slightly in pace and keep going whereas on a threadmill when your finger is on the downward button you keep it there !
• The bit of downhill / uphill certainly makes a difference to pace - even the minor incline slows you right down.
• What seems so much easier and comfortable at the start turns out to hurt more by the end. My ankles, knees and muscles are a lot sorer now 8 hours later than when I'm in the gym.

Since then - on my second run outdoors I managed to break my current PB's (ran for 5 miles non stop, ran for 50 min non stop) but have been unable to get anywhere near this time wise whilst running in the gym. I also feel that the recovery time is so much longer for a run outdoors.

Just wondering from the more experienced runners point of view is my experience typical ? (bearing in mind my longest run is 5 miles it could well be that the drawbacks to running outdoors only appear over longer distances) Also would training more outdoors reduce the recovery time ?