Question for you runners out there...

[Tigpuppy]

First a bit of background.

I started out running outside last summer, but moved inside on a treadmill when I got tired of swallowing too many bugs. It felt disorienting at first and I had to hang on because I felt like I'd fall off otherwise. It went away quickly though. Then winter came and I've continued with running inside on my treadmill.

Normally lately I watch a small TV (placed on a shelf right in front of my treadmill) while I run. It doesn't bother me.

But recently I ran outside and the sight of the scenery bobbing up and down made me so dizzy and nauseas that I had to slow to a walk.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a way to train your eyes so that you can easily switch between inside running and outside running without feeling dizzy? Is it bad/harmful to have that TV so close to my treadmill while I run?

 

[cowboy48]

First a bit of background.

I started out running outside last summer, but moved inside on a treadmill when I got tired of swallowing too many bugs. It felt disorienting at first and I had to hang on because I felt like I'd fall off otherwise. It went away quickly though. Then winter came and I've continued with running inside on my treadmill.

Normally lately I watch a small TV (placed on a shelf right in front of my treadmill) while I run. It doesn't bother me.

But recently I ran outside and the sight of the scenery bobbing up and down made me so dizzy and nauseas that I had to slow to a walk.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a way to train your eyes so that you can easily switch between inside running and outside running without feeling dizzy? Is it bad/harmful to have that TV so close to my treadmill while I run?

Hi Tigs,

I haven't experienced that but I run on the inside track, treadmill, and outside. My favorite is outside. When you are first starting your run outside concentrate on keeping your eyes in the road or trail in front of you. That is how I usually start out. I have one bad eye- I had a detached retina that I am still dealing with - the eye is fuzzy all the time so in certain light it can cause the scenery to waver- if that makes sense-lol. It doesn't make me sick but it can make me stumble once in a while. So when I start out I always concentrate on the trail in front of me for the first 5 minutes or so and my eye becomes accustomed to the up and down motion. After that I am okay. I can enjoy the scenery around me without the wavering. I don't know if I have answered your question or not-lol. I wouldn't have the tv too close to me when I am running on the treadmill- my treadmill is set up about 10 feet from my tv. You could try moving the tv further away and see if the outside running nausea goes away.

I didn't like running on the treadmill to begin with either and it is still my least favorite place to run but I find I run differently on it than on a track or outside trail. It is hard to explain- my gait feels different- more choppy or something. I find I run much smoother outside or on the track. Maybe it is just that I feel more unstable on the treadmill or something. I hope my ramblings help-lol.