There are a number of positives to running on the treadmill, including:

■ The difficulty level is the same (providing you use a one degree incline) and can be even harder if you start increasing the incline more.

■ The treadmill is much easier on your joints. The cushioned belt allows for a much more forgiving environment, compared to the pavement or road.

■ The treadmill also allows you to simulate race environments. By varying the speed and degree of incline you can simulate race-like situations and environments.

In contrast, there are a number of negatives to treadmill running, these include:

■ You get limited muscular development in lower limbs due to the fact that you don't have the uneven surfaces that you get faced with when running outside.

■ The potential for losing focus and falling and injuring yourself potentially increases while running on a belt that doesn't stop unless you press the button.

■ Treadmill running can get very boring in comparison to running outside as you are running on the one spot the whole time without a change of environment.

Either style of running will increase your fitness and burn a lot of calories.

It is really up to you as to which style you feel will provide greater benefit. Try a mixture of both and always listen to how your body is feeling. Happy training!

Lukas Chodat is the director of Chodat Fitness.