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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Adventures on the Treadmill


Well I didn't fall off but I am telling you about my workout!


Thanks to the MASSIVE amounts of snow my area got this weekend, I will not be running outside for quite awhile. My neighborhood is terrible right now. It is just one lane of packed snow. At the exits of the neighborhood, there are deep sections of snow that are very scary for me and my little Chevy Cobalt to get through.

But when I am determined to go to Planet Fitness so I can run, gunning it through a little bit of snow is no problem for me! Once I get out onto the main roads, I am fine. They are just a little wet. I still take it slow due to the slush. The cars riding my ass need to just take a chill pill.

I headed to the gym around 10:30 on Monday morning. We had the day off due to snow, so I took my good 'ol time in the morning drinking coffee and psyching myself up for 8 miles on the treadmill. Why 8 miles? Because that's the number I picked out in my head on Sunday night!

If I had been running 8 miles outside  that day, I would have just run a "la la la" pace the whole time. But running at a steady state on the treadmill is so boring to me. I had to mess around with the speed. Here is the workout I did:

2 miles @ 8:19
2 miles @ 8:00
3 miles @ 7:30
1/2 mile @ 8:00
1/2 mile @ 8:19

Initially I had planned to only do 2 miles @ a 7:30 pace, but then I thought about Lisa @ Tech Chick Adventures, and her post about how the tough parts of runs are when we get stronger. Thinking about her and the run she did this weekend motivated me to bust out one more mile at that fast pace.

In my brain I was thinking: Wow, it is hard for me to do 3 miles at a 7:30 pace right now, but just 6 weeks ago I ran a half marathon at that pace. WTF!?

During those 3 miles, I switched from podcasts to music. Suzy told me music will make my runs better, so I had to try! This is what I listened to:


Lollipop by Mika
Paul and I can harmonize the shit out of this one!

Hung Up by Madonna

Work Bitch by Britney Spears
This song is just so, so, so bad.

I do think the music helped for those 3 miles, but I definitely enjoyed zoning out to my podcast for the rest of the run.


I cooled down with a quarter mile walk. Walking on the treadmill just feels so awkward! I love that moment when you finally hop off and when you are walking on solid ground again you feel like you are moving so fast!

Since I will be stuck at the gym for all of my runs in the near future, I figured it would be good to remind myself of all the GOOD things about running on a treadmill.

Pros of treadmill running and Planet Fitness:

1. Water right there.
2. Toilet right there.
3. Protection from the elements.
4. The machine maintains my pace, I just have to keep up.
5. Don't need to mess with my Garmin.
6. Won't get hit by a car.
7. Won't get struck by lightening.

I can think of plenty of cons right now, but what good will that do me!?

When I run today and Wednesday, I am going to make myself just pick an easy steady pace and stick with it. I know it will be boring, but not every run needs to be a speed workout. In fact, I need a speed workout once a week at MOST. The other days, I should be just plodding along...
What is your favorite thing to do on the 'mill? Just run a steady pace or mess around with the speed?

Favorite things about running on a treadmill?

29 comments:

  1. When I run on a treadmill I need to constantly change my pace too. I used to be able to just zone out and run, but not anymore. I think it's tough because I only run on a treadmill like once a year, so its really difficult to adjust to it. I do like that you don't have to layer up to run on a treadmill, but I don't like having to drive somewhere to get to one!

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    1. I could probably zone out and just run a steady pace if I was watching a TV show or movie. I guess that would be the luxury of actually having a treadmill at your house! I know at the gym the TVs are too far away to actually get into anything and the channels are pre programmed.

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  2. Way to do what you have to and get it done! I think having the ability to get one's head around treadmill running is great mental training. Personally I love speedwork on the mill. I may change the speed button often though.

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    1. It sure is good mental training. We will see if I go bonkers here as I run on the 'mill and wait for all the snow to melt.

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  3. When I used to use my treadmill for 100% of my runs I watched shows I had recorded (Oprah, RHONY, etc.). I also would listen to music. I loved the convenience & how I never was affected by the outdoor conditions to get a run in or not. Even though I am much happier & healthier running outside, the weather is the challenge. Today your blog inspired me to drive over to another 'hood and run. Just a simple change of scenery made all the difference today!

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    1. I used to LOVE RHONY. I liked Bethenny but not anymore. Now she annoys me.

      I am glad you went to another hood this morning and enjoyed your run!! :)

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  4. I don't think there is anything I like about the treadmill. I only use it for easy runs because I'm pretty sure I would suffer way too much doing anything else. One of the reasons I love running is that I get to go outside and see what's happening around town. The weather here has been pretty dreadful, so I have hopped on to the mill here and there, but I really hate it. Haha!

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    1. I love being outside too! :) Planet Fitness is so stuffy.

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  5. HA ha ha yeah Britneyyyy! Okay so, treadmill. Steady paces will kill you. I only do those if I'm listening to a podcast or watching Netflix. My go-to treadmill run is this, and it does NOT have to be speedy.
    Warm up for 10 minutes
    run hard (maybe a 7 or 7:30 pace?) for 8 minutes
    recover for 4 minutes
    run hard for 6 min
    recover for 3
    hard for 4 min
    recover for 2
    hard for 2
    recover for 1
    hard for 1

    I got it from Laura from This Runner's Recipes and I love it because it's simple in my head.

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    1. That sounds like a good workout! I was thinking about you and your really hard treadmill runs while I was running yesterday. :) There is black ice out there this am so I think I am stuck at home again today. No treadmill. I am sore from lifting so I am not sure what to do today!

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  6. I can't run at a steady state on the 'mill either. I only use it for speed intervals or a random hills workout because I need something else to focus on to pass the time. Even listening to music and podcasts doesn't help. If the pace doesn't change more than once a mile, then I can't do it on the treadmill.

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    1. OOH hills. Tomorrow I should do hills! Thanks for the idea. :)

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  7. Hey, a runner's gotta do what a runner's gotta do. Tomorrow I have speedwork on the mill. I'd love to do it outside but it's so icy.

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    1. It's so icy here too. In fact I didn't even drive anywhere today because I was afraid of the ice.

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  8. Water RIGHT THERE and bathroom RIGHT THERE are such big pros! Every summer when I do my long runs on the treadmill those two things keep me going back to the gym for runs. Do you have an iPad? Just last summer I started watching tv shows on my iPhone and it made the time pass sooooo quickly! Two episodes of a 60 minute TV show and you're basically done with a long run!

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    1. I do not have an iPad. :( I don't think I have seen anyone at the gym with an iPad on the treadmill but now that your brought it to my attention, I will see them tomorrow!

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  9. I never thought about avoiding "hit by car" or "struck by lightning" on my Pro list, but Oh So True!! Glad I inspired you to get a move on it :) I'm honestly looking forward to my run tomorrow morning on the treadmill because I have a lot of shows I want to see!! I would guess that the majority of my runs on the treadmill are progression runs, because it just feels good to keep getting faster and faster.

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    1. Well I was trying to dig deep and think of some good things because after #3 all I could think of were BAD things!

      It does feel good to get faster and faster on the treadmill. :)

      I stayed home today due to ice but tomorrow am I am heading to the gym and I have some podcasts I am looking forward to, so that will be fun! I am sure I can occupy my mind for about 40 min and git 'er done.

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  10. My favorite on the mill is speed work. Some days the treadmill just seems easier because I don't have to go anywhere. One of the best things about the treadmill is I can multitask--hop off, change the laundry, quiz spelling words, check dinner. I don't feel comfortable running in the dark in our new area. The roads are too winding and hilly, it is just too risky, so I can run when it is dark on the mill....

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    1. I am glad you have that option especially because it sounds like it wouldn't be very safe to run in the dark at your new place. And multi tasking- that is a huge pro for you!

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  11. I don't run on the dreadmill...although some of the running adventures i have planned may lead to dreadmill runs in the future. I would for sure mess with the pace and elevation because I loathe the dreadmill lol

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    1. What kind of running adventures??

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    2. Hope you don't mind, I'm responding to this in my post today and linking back to you :)

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    3. Not at all! I'll check it out.

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  12. I ran on the treadmill for the first time in FOREVER last week. I had a speed workout and didn't want to risk any icy spots on the road/trails. Whenever I run on the treadmill, I definitely like to switch it up. Running at the same pace the entire time would make me yawn.

    Was Planet Fitness packed with like-minded people or did the weather and road conditions keep them away?

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    1. Planet Fitness is only busy between 4-6pm. That is when it is HIGH SCHOOL CITY! :) I feel like an old lady if I go at those times.

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  13. Bahahahahah - toilet RIGHT THERE. YES. I've also been confined to the treadmill for my track and tempos and YES. At least when I feel like I'm going to crap my pants, I can do it on a real toilet. Although the other day, I had a questionable situation on the treadmill where I thought I crapped my pants. Thankfully, it was a false alarm. I finished the workout though, before I went to check :)

    I need that Britney song FOR SURE.

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    1. Finish workout before checking your pants? You have your priorities in order, girl! :)

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  14. In order to do that distance on the TM I definitely have to play some mind games, lol. Like each mile has to be progressively faster than the previous. Way to go on getting it done!

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