Comparing One-Mile Run Time and Perceived Exertion of College-Aged Females in an Outdoor Environment versus an Indoor Environment

ABSTRACT PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of an indoor environment versus an outdoor environment on a one-mile time performance. METHODS: Sixteen female runners were requested to run two, one-mile timed trials in an indoor environment and outdoor environment. Before both trials, runners completed a barriers to exercise survey to investigate common, uncommon, and neutral perceived barriers to exercise. After the first timed one-mile run trial, runners were instructed to abstain from any exercise until their second day of data collection. Resting heart rate and blood pressure was recorded before and after each timed mile run. RPE (rate of perceived exertion) was also collected after each trial. To assess the factor of limitations, temperature was recorded of each environment. RESULTS: A paired sample t-test revealed that participants completed the one mile run faster when they performed the run inside (8.2±3.0 minutes) compared to outside (8.4±3.0 minutes). Although the participants ran faster indoors, 47% (n=7) of them preferred running in an outdoor environment. The RPE of the participants also increased when they ran outdoors by 1 point (RPE inside: 13±2; RPE outside: 14±1). The post run heart rate of the participants was significantly higher (approximately 10bpm) after the outdoor run opposed to the indoor run. CONCLUSION: Participants performed faster on a one-mile timed trial in an indoor condition, even though nearly half of them preferred running outdoors. These findings indicate that an indoor environment can result in a faster performance time in young college-aged females