I think my treadmill is trying to kill me.
Some days it starts at the bottom of my feet, attacking my heel with a vengeance before moving up to my ankles and shins. From there it’s a slow burn of assaults on quads, hammies and glutes.
Once the treadmill is bored of these below the belt games it will find a new target in my shoulders and neck. Oh he is a crafty one. With his hard and unrelenting surface forcing me to use muscles that I don’t use outside and into submission as I count the minutes on the clock.
Other days it’s like I am the warden of this running machine. (Remember treadmills were first invented to punish prisoners. ) I don’t have time for your feeble games. Give me all you got, treadmill. I can hear as the motor chugs along trying to keep up with my constant pace and elevation changes. Who’s in pain now?
Where is spring?
It was on Wednesday when I had a breakdown. I cut my run short because my ankle was starting to give me some serious grief. Although last week I felt I had found my treadmill running groove, this week was another story. I had enough.
It feels like weeks since I have run outside. The weather is still mostly crap for running. The best day was Friday but I had to go south of the city to pick up my new Qashqai so I missed out. When I got home I went for a 7K power walk on Nose Hill and I felt so much better. (Yes, I probably could have run but I didn’t want to get frustrated by the snowy conditions. A power walk in knee deep snow is better than nothing, friends.)
I think I just needed a couple of days off from the treadmill. I will be back on it today.
Taking the dread out of the treadmill
- Cover the console. This way you are not constantly staring at the time
- Watch a TV show or listen to a podcast.
- Break up the run. For example, if you want to run 20K. Take a washroom break at 10K then get back on.
- Do intervals – speed and elevation. My new favourite workout is to run 30 seconds to a minute on each elevation grade to the top, then I run back down.
- Remember your goals.
What are your tips for staying focused on the treadmill? Have you ever had a treadmill mishap? Are you having a great winter?
I would so love a treadmill, just no money and no room! I DID almost fall off of one at Goodlife a few years back, had no idea how close to the back edge I was! A little “running on air” but I was able to correct myself in time. Nothing better than a whole bunch of You Tube treadmill disasters to make your day, though!
Yikes!! I got mine on sale.