Treadmill Musings

I, like a lot of people, hate the treadmill. 

Some people love it... who these crazy people are, I have no idea.

I also will be training in the dead of winter in Michigan. 

I will need to learn to love the treadmill.

The treadmill will not be my only form of training, and also I hope that it won't be the majority of my training. But, realistically, it is the most convenient most days. Its a 20 second walk from my apartment door, and it doesn't having my running on poorly lit streets in the pitch dark. Or on icy sidewalks.

I plan to embrace cold weather, snowy running. I plan to utilize the indoor track on campus. But, I also anticipate many runs on the treadmill.

I have realized that running is mostly a mental game. Many people say this, but everyone has to realize it for themselves to truly understand it. 

I can run 5 miles outside happy as can be; I try that on the treadmill and I want to punch someone, and most times have to stop to walk, even if I am going at a slower pace than outside. 

I think this had lead me to my goal for training on the treadmill to be about completing the distance and embracing having to walk and working on the mental game. And, as always its best used for speed training... if I get around to that in my first real training attempts.

I tried a "speed" training last night. After a mile warm up at about 10:00 min/mi I think and then half a mile at 8:13 min/mi, quarter mile at 10:00, half mile at 8:13, and then three-quarters of a mile at 10:00 or less (3 miles total) I had to get of and pedal on the elliptical for five minutes because I didn't even want to walk on the treadmill for another second. I sucked it up and completed an additional half mile at 8:13 and then slow half mile jog to bring the grand total to 4 miles. It. was. torture.

Tonight, I completed 5 miles of running and about three quarters of a mile of walking. I did 3 miles at a 9:31 pace, walked .1, 1 mile at 9:31, walked .15, half a mile at 9:31, walk .15, and a last half mile at 9:31 for 5 miles of running with walk breaks. Then I walked a long cool down until the treadmill reset itself for a total of 65 minutes and 5.75 miles. Then I came back to look at my schedule and realized it said 6 miles.. not 5. Maybe 6 will happen tomorrow... if I can run outside after class (and a special professor meeting that I am very excited for!)

Here's to hoping for no rain tomorrow. I miss the pavement.