Treadmill vs. Outdoor Running. Is the Treadmill Easier?

I have repeat miles today.  The plan: 2 mile warm-up; 4 repeat miles at 6:30ish pace with a 2 minute active recovery in between; 2 mile cool down.  I'm actually excited!  I never thought I'd be excited about doing repeat miles but these days I seem to  be finding so much more joy in my training than ever before. Things that would have made me sick to my stomach to think about before now make me feel challenged and optimistic. I'm not quite sure what this change is all about but I know a big part of it is that I'm finally at a place where I am ready to push myself to my limits and see what this 32 year old body and mind can do!  And I'm doing it for ME.  Not because I have to but because I WANT to!  I think the biggest part of this new fire in my running spirit is that I experienced my first major injury and during that time I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. I had a lot of time to think, reevaluate my goals, and decide what I want for my life.  For the first time ever, I wasn't able to run.  I didn't have a choice.  I was couch bound and sitting on that couch for several months wondering if my hamstring would ever be the same again gave me a lot to reflect on.  I found myself almost making a deal with God or myself or my heart that if I could run again without a bum hamstring then I would finally give my all...mentally and physically and I would finally allow myself to believe that I am good enough to dream bigger than I ever would have dared to dream.  I know this sounds silly or sappy but sitting on that couch and not being able to run gave me something that I wish I would have had all along.  It was a gift in a way.  I finally feel like I have that belief in myself that I can do the things that I never truly believed possible.  Something just clicked and I realized that one of the biggest factors that allows the human spirit to be "GREAT" and reach new limits is the desire and belief that something is possible!  I finally believe that I'm capable and I'm willing and excited to Give My All and make the most of this decade in my life!  So, here's to those repeat miles today! 

Which brings me to the topic that I really wanted to put on the table today.  I'm considering doing my repeat miles on the high school track today instead of the Treadmill.  Something about doing these outside sounds way more challenging to me than if I were to do them on the treadmill.  Is this just something in my head or do you think that running outside is the more challenging option?  Something about getting on a treadmill, setting the incline to 1.0 or more and putting the pace at 6:30ish mile pace and holding on just sounds easier to me than having to pace myself and push myself to keep going.  It is so much easier to slow down when I'm running on the track or outside by myself...so much more of mental game for me.  If I slow down or stop on the treadmill when it is set to my goal pace, then I fall off and make a huge ass out of myself in the gym.  This would stink.  Also, I know this sounds really weird, but when you are at the gym doing an intense workout on the Treadmill, there is that sense that you need to look bad ass or keep up because there are people running on the treadmill's behind you.  It gives you that element of having an audience even thought they probably don't give a hoot, don't notice you and are flipping back and forth between Ellen and CNN. Unless of course, you have your pants backwards or are sporting a classy camel toe.

Whatever the reasons, the idea of doing my miles on pace on the track or outside by myself just seems way more challenging than if I go to the gym and get on the TM.  That's just me though.  I'm curious about what you think. 

So, what are your thoughts?  Do you think the treadmill makes a workout easier than if you were were doing your speed workouts on the track or outside somewhere by yourself?  Not just physically but mentally too? 

And do you see yourself accomplishing something in your life that you never before believed possible? 


Amanda