I did a quick 5k on the treadmill tonight and reminded myself of why I haven’t been on a dreadtreadmill in 8 years.
Do you have any motivation tips? Tips to keep yourself entertained? Help me treadmill runners, you’re my only hope!
But really, honestly, I haven’t been on a treadmill for longer than a brief warmup in years. After the first mile I finally found my feet – and didn’t feel like I was going to slip off with every step – but I had to fight for every quarter mile. I’m counting this toward Merry Miles – checking in at 82 miles to go – but I was probably scowling the entire run. Not really the mission behind the message.
it sounds like you might have started at too quick a pace. i know sometimes it’s a bit of an adjustment to not be able to control your pace at will, even a little, and it feels like you’re chasing the treadmill, which is not fun. you might not be able to run exactly at the pace that you run outside at the beginning, so run at a comfortable pace, maybe even at one that you would consider slow, run longer, and take it from there. also, i like to watch something to distract myself, some stupid and fun show that requires very little brain cells. and i don’t like to look at the display so usually i cover it. but too each his own. running on a treadmill is a different beast than running outside, you just have to gradually figure out your comfort zone.
Thanks!! You are probably totally right, I have a bad habit of starting (everything) too quickly 🙂 and you’ve hit the nail on the head regarding not having control over your speed / chasing the belt. Honestly, I wasn’t tired as I was running, just miserably bored! The gym’s tv was airing the Kardashians, which I really can’t force myself to watch, so I’ll just bring my own mindless tv for next time – and I’ll definitely cover the display. Thank you so much 😀
if the gym you’re going to is airing the kardashians, you should probably switch gyms altogether. jk. for me the sweet spot in terms of what to watch is something that i can follow very easily and also drift from if i wanted to, and will be good enough to distract me from the effort and the boredom. like one of those cop shows or something. hopefully you’ll find your routine. running outside is always preferable for me though! even in the cold.
Haha!! I agree, I should – un/fortunately my gym is a work perk, so its hard to justify paying for another membership! And I’d take running outside anytime. I don’t mind the cold (well, that’s a lie, but I’d prefer outside regardless) but running in the dark isn’t the best idea for me. Swimmer+uneven sidewalks=scrapes and rolled ankles. I’ll definitely find a routine!!
Check out my post on treadmill tips: http://janerunswild.com/2015/11/05/happy-thursday-and-some-treadmill-tips/
Good luck!
Ah thank you!! Excellent, thank you for sharing!