Every once in a while, the elements outside combine in such a fashion to drive me to run on the dreaded treadmill. Treadmill running is psychologically hard for me because I get so bored, but it also has its benefits.
Five reasons I hate the treadmill
5. Snot rockets. Where in the world can I send my snot rocket?
4. The view. The other day I spent an hour staring at a cobweb.
3. It is too tempting to stop. If I'm on a 10 mile out and back and I feel like quitting halfway through, guess what, I still have to get home. If I feel like quitting on the treadmill, the couch is right over there. Very tempting.
2. No wind. I like the feel of the air moving across my face as I run, I get none of that on the treadmill.
1. Boring. Boring, boring, boring.
Five reasons I love the treadmill.
5. If I am focused on a certain pace that day, I dial up that pace and the treadmill makes sure I keep it.
4. Slick roads. I refuse to do my speed workouts when there is patchy ice, or snow compacted into sheets of ice, the treadmill keeps me safe on those rare icy days in Kentucky.
3. If something happens, I can stop and be at home. No need to search for a bathroom or water fountain, I can hop off the treadmill and meet whatever needs I have.
2. No wind. Yesterday morning there were winds gusting 20-30 miles per hour. No thanks, I'll run on the treadmill.
1. It keeps me honest. I can know exactly what my pace is, if there is a discrepancy in my stride I can't blame it on terrain, with so many variables controlled any errors in my running are MY errors.
How about you? What do you like and hate about the treadmill.
Never used a treadmill, but....
ReplyDeleteI liked riding the bike trainer because my workouts could be targeted exactly. I had a bunch of Spinerval videos that would focus on various things like aerobic base building or climbing. Very handy in the run up to the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge.
The absolute worst things about it were related to heat. I was under a ceiling fan running full blast, and I was burning up. Normally there is a 20mph wind in my face from that effort, so not only was I overheating, but the sweat failed to evaporate.
The best part though was doing a couple weeks of hill climbing training and then doing a ride with the bike club.