My knees are pretty shot but I still like to run races so I do most of my training on the treadmill and then do my weekly long runs outside when ever I can.  When it's nasty I can watch an entire football game if I have to do my long run on the treadmill.  The air circulation thing is true; you get a lot warmer on a treadmill than the road so make sure you have a towel or you'll be flinging sweat all over the place.  The most current school of thought is to raise the incline on the TM to 1.0-1.5 to simulate resistance you would normally get outside on a static road v. a moving belt and that's helped me w/ the transition also.  Personally I've found that my center of gravity shifts between the TM and the road and I feel a little heavier when I go out on the road.  I tend to lean forward a little more on the road and back on the TM.  It takes a mile or so to adjust and then I'm ok, but before then I'm kind of out of sorts and it makes it a little difficult to gauge my pace early because I'm trying to adjust and find my groove.  Eventually I settle down and life is good.

You'll come across a fair number of road snobs out there who really berate the treadmill and sometimes even scoff at the people who use them to an extent and I find that disappointing.  Sometimes a treadmill is the only way some people can run for either health or safety issues.  The main thing is that you keep running and do what ever works best for you, right?

Here's to a great race!  They are a hoot to run regardless of distance and that treadmill will help you get to the starting line this year.  Best of luck to you.

I've always heard that running on a TM is easier on the body given that many newer models have flex-deck technology.  That said, running inside doesn't allow you to get used to the prevailing temps.  I enjoy outdoor running and don't really care about the weather - although I prefer layering up than stripping down.  That said, it takes me a little bit to adjust when it's really cold (heading into winter) or a warm up in temps (heading into spring).  If your goal is to complete the Turkey Day 5K, you should be fine - just expect to breath a little harder as your lungs suck in that crisp fall air

Good luck on your first race!!  You'll do fine as long as you don't try and break any land-speed records.  Take it nice and easy and stick with your goal of finishing the race w/o walking - don't worry about anything else

IMO running on a treadmill can be just as good a work out as running outside.  Infact I am always more tired on the treadmill and run faster outside.  Granted you have to be careful about cheating and make sure to change up the workout.  Here are something I have noticed.

1) As mentioned before the air is very differant.  Make sure to have a towel and some extra water.

2) DO NOT CHEAT!!!!!  If you jump to the sides while drinking water your not getting a true speed/distance measurement.  If you can't drink at the same pace your at then slow the treadmill first, drink then speed back up.  This is what you'd do outside right!

3) Don't watch TV.  It is very tempting and easy to do; however it takes your mind off the workout.  Once the runner is outside their mind is looking for "entertainment" and can become board.  Then it'll start to notice the running "pains" and their mind is not "trained" to overcome the bodys complaints.  This is especially for those first 1-2 miles that most runners complain about before they find their grouve.  Now if I were doing 10 miles or more on a treadmill I would give in and watch TV just to keep the mind awake.

4) A lot of people especially like to do speed runs inside.  This is because they can set the speed to a desired pace and maintain it.  Personally I like to do my speed runs outside but prefer to do my tempo runs inside.  I find it harder to keep the faster pace outside.  However, once I've done it inside a couple times I find I go even faster outside.

Good luck on your race

If you can run a 5K (or any short/middle distance) on a treadmill, you should be able to then go out and run the comparable distance on the roads. The difference becomes much more pronounced at longer distances, but not so much at 5K. If the race is going to have hills, you should be simulating some hills on the treadmill before the race. You will also be running on a harder surface during the race (unless it is a trail race) so your legs may be more sore afterwards. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is learning to calibrate your pace on the roads, where there is no electronic display to conveniently (and continually) tell you just how far you've gone and how fast you're going.

I admit it, I'm a treadmill snob.  Not on purpose and I don't scoff those who use treadmills.  Personally I can not stand them and will do just about anything to avoid running on one.  When absolutely necessary due to ice, I will run on a treadmill albeit reluctantly but have braved just about all other weather to run outside.  I can honestly say that I am glad I did brave the elements because my first HM was run in a Nor'Easter...first half of the race was just cold and wet, the second half was cold, wet and running straight on into 35 mph sustained winds.  No matter how long you train on a treadmill, you'll never train for that inside.  I will run on a treadmill this winter ONLY on days where ice prevails and only until the wonderful road department has cleared a path with their salt melters just like last year. Treadmills do serve a great purpose and if for you it is a motivator to keep you going this winter than by all means do it and do it happily!

Cyndi

Hey yea i have the same problem on the tredamill. I can run 5miles easy outside but once i "have" get on the treadmill because of the weather i can barely get 2 miles done. I don't know an exact reason but i think its because i like moving while i run and on the treadmill you stay in one place. But yea i have that problem too and am too wondering if its more than just the getting somewhere while you run thing or not.