Determining the vertical ascent simulated during a treadmill workout involves considering both the incline percentage and the distance covered. For instance, a runner covering one mile at a 1% incline gains approximately 52.8 feet of elevation. This calculation provides a comparable metric to outdoor running on varied terrain.
Understanding vertical ascent provides runners with a more complete picture of workout intensity and allows for more accurate comparisons between treadmill and outdoor runs. This information is crucial for tracking progress, planning workouts that mimic real-world race conditions, and understanding the true physiological demands of a training session. Historically, treadmill workouts have often been viewed as less demanding than outdoor runs due to factors like consistent pace and lack of wind resistance. Quantifying elevation gain helps bridge this perceived gap, providing a quantifiable measure of effort exerted during incline training.