Saturday, November 20, 2010

I Heart Treadmills

I can't decide whether the title of this post is a tongue in cheek, ironic start to yet another rant about treadmills based on my total lack of creativity or whether I'm really starting to get used to the things.

Several treadmill runs in the past several weeks have been bearable. After my first treadmill run in months gave me the typical feeling of wanting to quit every half mile (I only managed to hang on for three miles), the last three have actually been OK. Today I made it over six miles of stationary running with very little giveuppedness.

This new determination to put significant mileage in without actually going anywhere is due to several factors. First of all, to get a discount on our YMCA membership through our insurance my wife and I have to go at least 12 times a month each. Sure, I could go run around in the dark, cold Minnesota evenings, or, I could drive to the YMCA and watch Virginia Tech play Kansas State.

Which brings me to another factor I fear--there's been slim to no carryover from the winter toughness I built up last year. It's only been down in the 20s but I'm still not feeling it. Am I loosing my edge? I did manage to get out a couple times in the cool evening darkness the past couple weeks but it hasn't exactly been nirvana.

The major factor in my lack of hatred for the treadmill, I believe, is that there's been decent things to watch on the built-in TV set. I caught a couple decent football games last Saturday, a decent college basketball game this past Wednesday, and "A Knight's Tale" this morning. When I'm actually somewhat into what's on the screen I don't get the nearly irresistible urge to give up that normally comes with the treadmill.

Tomorrow I'm planning on getting outside--of course there's snow in the forecast. Still, as much as the treadmill and I are making peace I can't see myself getting 12 miles in while watching football all afternoon.

1 comment:

Nitmos said...

Last year, I did 17 and 18 milers on the treadmill. Fun? No. Endurable? Yes.