Yesterday, I ran a half marathon. Not a race. Not even a virtual race. I just ran 13.1 miles because I could and because the sun was shining. In fact, the sun was shining so nicely and the temp was so balmy that I was horribly overdressed. Until mile 9 when the cold front started moving in… It was another one of those amazing weather days that have dropped in our laps in between the horrible, very cold days we’ve been experiencing. I’m thankful I was able to set a bunch of other stuff aside and get out there.
Tomorrow we head back into the deep freeze and I’ll be hitting up the treadmill again if the feels like temps are in the single digits, sigh.
Speaking of treadmills…
I saw this on Run with Jess’ blog last week (she got it from Marcia’s Healthy Slice) and couldn’t resist answering. If you’d asked me a month or so ago, I would have said I don’t really use the treadmill now that I don’t have a child napping next to it or Dora the Explorer on the tv in front of me. But Mother Nature has decided this is a good year to make me spend time running indoors.
1. What’s your favorite workout to do on a treadmill? It depends on the length of my run. If it’s a short run, I usually make it some form of intervals/fartlek. For longer runs, I start really slowly and build the speed .1 at a time until I get to just a bit faster than my easy run speed. I’ll run there for a bit and then drop back. Repeat until mileage is accomplished.
2. How many miles, on average, do you run on the mill each week? Normally, the answer is zero. Thanks to the wicked winter we are having, I broke 30 miles in a month for the first time since my kids were babies.
3. What was the most mileage you’ve ever completed on the mill in one workout? When? Why? 11 miles. I have no memory of why, but I’m gonna guess bad weather. I can’t imagine that I wanted to LOL.
4. Do you mill at home, the gym or both? Home. Even when I have a gym membership, I only use my home (or my parents’) treadmill.
5. What distractions or entertainment (if any) do you use to help pass the time? I’m easily bored. I usually have HGTV on the television (what can I say? I’m addicted to seeing the huge houses you can get for so little money outside the DC area.) In addition, if I’m not doing speedwork, I have a book on my Kindle Fire that I read while I run. Sometimes I have to bribe myself with uninterrupted reading to get myself on the treadmill.
6. If you have a treadmill at home, what kind is it? How old is it? I have a Vision Fitness treadmill. We’ve had it since Shoo was a baby, so 7ish years. It gets nearly daily usage as Beer Geek walks on it most days and *knock wood* it’s hanging in there.
7. Do you fuel any differently for a treadmill workout than an outside one? Nope. I tend to drink on every run, inside and out and I almost never use fuel.
8. Any treadmill mishaps to report? No mishaps here. I haven’t even broken any of Beer Geek’s precious glasses LOL.
9. Do you mill at incline to compensate for not being outside? I usually have it at 1. Sometimes I’ll do hill work, but it feels really unnatural to me, so I don’t do it often.
10. Describe your perfect (if there is such an animal) treadmill conditions: Someplace besides my unairconditioned basement would be a great start. It can get pretty awful if I have to run down there in the summer. I wouldn’t mind windows either…
Looks like I have 6-7 miles on the treadmill today. What’s your favorite way to get through a medium length run?
I am always fascinated by the HGTV shows showing the great houses you can get for such great prices outside the DC area! Of course, sometimes the show is in LA or San Francisco and I count my blessings 🙂 E-books are how I keep my sanity on the treadmill.
Yeah, I’ve found I can read as long I’m not running hard. If I’m pushing the pace, I have trouble focusing on anything but running.
Fun that you participated in this survey – I keep seeing them and think about doing it but I’m the odd one who loves to run on the treadmill!!!
I don’t mind the treadmill, but I don’t love it. I just kind of have to be in the mood for it.
I cannot concentrate/hear the TV and nowhere NEAR be able to read while I run…I must look like a monster muppet while I’m running. It’s gotta be music. It’s gotta be pumping, or I’m never gonna get anywhere on the ‘mill. Good for you for sticking it out to 13.1! No medal or state or nuttin’!
I’ve never gotten into music while running, so I crank the volume up on a show that doesn’t require much concentration.
I’ve never run on a treadmill. I’m lucky to have weather that allows outdoor’s running all year round. I have also never trained at a gym. I do all my exercises at home. I consider myself lucky to have it like this.
I wish we had weather like that! And really, most of the time I can run outside, I’m just tired of being cold when I run LOL.
A treadmill is beneficial on those deep freeze days that don’t allow you to go outside and run. I’m lucky I live in Florida so exercising outdoors is not a major problem all year. I have been tried to encourage my mom to use the tread mill but she enjoys going out for her daily walks while enjoying the nice weather.
Exercising indoors or outdoors doesn’t make much difference, but it is true that you get some fresh air outside. Treadmill is good for mothers who have to look after their kids as well. Exercising is only important.