It's no secret I have had a love-hate relationship with my treadmill. I love it because it has made winter running in a part of the world that typically sees a substantial bit of snow and ice between November and April a whole lot easier. When I'm pressed for time, it encourages me to hop on for a quick couple of miles rather than not going for a run at all. It takes the mental work out of trying to do faster intervals. However, I'm not going to lie. Historically, I have not liked using the 'mill for runs of more than five or six miles. It gets monotonous after a few miles even with tunes. Last year I did a 16 miler on the treadmill, but M. had to come into our exercise area several times to give me a pep talk so that I would continue because I was bored out of my mind. I whined about that run for 16 days.
Several years ago, when I first started to get back into running again, I would sometimes go to the gym to run on the treadmill. I realized quickly that I could not watch the televisions at the gym while running. I got dizzy and felt like I was going to fall of the treadmill. Last year I tried to read my Kindle while running on the 'mill, and I'm pretty sure that's how I threw my back out and ended up barely able to move for a couple of days. So for years I have had only the company of my ipod and my thoughts on the treadmill, which admittedly was probably good for building some mental toughness, but some of those miles were mind-numbingly dull.
A couple of weeks ago my neck of the woods had some icy conditions on a day when I needed to get in a long run. I grabbed my ipod and headed for the treadmill only to discover my ipod battery was completely dead. I knew that if I waited until later in the day I would end up skipping my run, so I decided to try watching a dvd on my laptop. I thought that, perhaps, if the screen was directly in front of me and I didn't have to gaze up at it, I might not suffer from dizziness and that feeling of vertigo. It worked! Ninety minutes later, I had run 7 miles and walked a mile to cool down.
While I still strongly prefer doing my long runs outside (and often with company), it's nice to know that I can log the miles and watch Netflix without falling off the side of the treadmill. Winter is currently (weirdly) in abeyance here, but if it returns I have a back up.
How do you feel about the 'mill? Anyone else experience the symptoms of something akin to motion sickness when trying to read or watch tv while on it?
I can't imagine running 16 miles on the treadmill. The most I've ever managed is ten, and I had to take a short break half way through and walk around the gym. Congratulations on that accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteI also prefer running outside, but I appreciate the treadmill for short runs and intervals, and the option of running even when the weather is bad. I'm glad you figured out a way to make it less monotonous. Netflix FTW!
Lastly, abeyance is my new favorite word. I had to look it up and will be using it in a sentence this week. :)
i've never been a fan of the treadmill and can barely make it through a few miles. no clue if i'd feel motion sick or not trying to read or watch tv on it because i've never tried.
ReplyDeleteI can't stand to be on it for a long time either but have never had any issues with motion sickness either. For some reason I just can't get into watching anything on it either so I usually have something on the TV for distraction but still just listen to music. I don't think I could try to read on it! Sounds like you found something to make winter runs a little better!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the treadmill, it has made winter running so much easier even though "winter" in Atlanta is generally a joke. I would cry if I could not watch TV on my treadmill...no motion sickness here. Being able to watch TV series on DVD has been my saving grace even though I generally prefer running outside. I find myself actually looking forward to my runs so that I can see what happens next.
ReplyDeleteI've kind of been obsessed with the treadmill lately, especially for speed work since it does the pacing for you. But I never watch TV or read while running, I'm not that coordinated :)
ReplyDeleteI've never tried reading on the 'mill. That just doesn't sound appealing to me at all. I have no problems watching tv on it though. Although I don't think even my favorite tv show could get me through 16 miles! That takes some mental fortitude there!
ReplyDeleteI'm nodding in agreement to all your thoughts here! The treadmill can be a fitness-saver in bad weather (like August in Texas), but I find the boredom to be a real challenge. I also sometimes get a little motion sick if I try to watch a screen too closely, so I sort of listen/half-watch so I don't get neck or back strain.
ReplyDelete16 miles. Wow. You are a running goddess.
Glad you found some way to make it palatable. I really despise it, to be honest! I have only been on it once, when Mr. Z was traveling, since coming back 3 months ago. I am always impressed by people who can go forever on one!
ReplyDeleteI HATE IT!
ReplyDeleteI actually can't remember the last time I ran on the dreadmill, that's how much I hate it. I ran outside in -30 C to avoid the treadmill. Lol! It helps that I don't have access to one though, if I owned one I'm sure I would be using it more often to get in shorter runs when I am short on time!
I have NEVER used a treadmill except in a doctor's office. At our college, the treadmills overlook the swimming area through a glass wall, so I suppose one could watch others doing laps or water aerobics.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those runners who is happy to be on the treadmill! As long as I have music I love it.
ReplyDeleteGood for you and your creativity, glad you found a new solution! I would love to have a treadmill in our basement for "those" days. Oddly I, for the life of me cannot run fast or pretty at the Y. I think I get all cooked up that people are looking at me or judging me and with all the things going on its like being in Vegas for sweat addicts. Makes me stress out and I almost always hold on a bit with one hand for fear of falling. I do much better with privacy which is weird because I don't mind blogging...well not as self conscience. I bet you have access to a great gym where you work but I'm going to guess that you would risk getting dizzy at home instead?
ReplyDeleteWhatever gets the job done,right?
I am 100% positive that one of the two times I fell off a treadmill it was because I was looking up at a TV. I also CANNOT read and run on a treadmill, not even a little bit. The music alternative is the only one that works for me, and I find a treadmill completely intolerable without it. Way to make it work for you!
ReplyDeleteI hate it! Funny thing is, I probably used it more in the Too Hot months than the too cold months. I usually listen to podcasts of This American Life. It makes the time go by really fast!
ReplyDeleteUm, okay, so you are a GENIUS! Do you know that? I rarely run on a treadmill but ow, if I do, I'll bring my iPad and headphones so I can watch Netflix instead of whatever random show is on at the gym! Brilliant idea you had!!! (a d glad you were able to get your run in!!!)
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting! I actually prefer running on the treadmill as opposed to outside. I'm not a pro-runner like you, and my longest run has only been 7 km (a bit over 4 miles), but I find outside running boring, and I'm much slower and can run many fewer kms outside. For about a year, I watched the news on mute (reading the subtitles) while listening to music, and that was fine. Recently I got a bit bored of this. I was reading a really interesting book and wanted to continue, but I knew reading on the Kindle wouldn't be feasible because it's quite small and difficult to prop up on the treadmill. So I got the Kindle app for iPad and now I read on the iPad while running. It makes my runs breeze by, and I actually run faster and better while reading. It's so interesting that different things work for different people! :)
ReplyDeleteI hate hate hate the dreadmill. i will use it when I don't feel like braving the elements - like today - but if it is mild out, I will always choose to run outside. Except for speedwork. I do like the dreadmill for speedwork.
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