Tuesday, February 17, 2015

TOTR

It's time for another Tuesday's on the Run! This week's topic is one of my favorites: treadmill running.



I know, I know. This is a sore subject for many runner's. Some love it. Some hate it. Some think you're not a real runner if you run on the treadmill. I get it.

So where do I stand?

Well, I'm a runner. I do what I have to do to run. Period. And to be completely honest, I think treadmills can be a great training tool. Not only that but I'll be the first to admit that I HATE running in cold weather. HATE IT! And whereas that may make me a wimp, it doesn't mean I'm not a runner. 


I know others aren't as lucky to have state of the art treadmills at their fingertips like I do (perks of the job!) but even so, running on a treadmill is all about tricking your mind to just do it. I come in every morning before work and get anywhere from 4-10 miles in before stepping foot into my office. Some days it's awesome. Some days it sucks. Some days it flies by and others I'm doing every mind trick I know possible to get the clock to tick just a little bit faster. The point is, I'm running. And when I get outside, I haven't lost my "mojo" and my long runs don't seem quite as long, which is nice. 

People always ask me how I can run on the treadmill for so long without dying of boredom and I have a few tricks up my sleeve. 

1. Pick a good workout and you won't notice the longevity of your run. If I'm not doing a long run, I'll find some fun speed workouts to do. This keeps my mind focused on those 2-3 minutes at a time and not the bigger picture. One of my favorites is one I found on pinterest a few years ago. It's a one minute fast paced walk, 30 second jog, and one minute full on sprint. Repeat as many times as you want. I typically make it a full on hour but you don't have to.

2. Like I said, I have really awesome treadmills at my disposal and one of the cool features on ours is a goal setting tool. If you're going after a goal, it makes it a little easier to get on there day after day. 

3. TV! Ha. Okay, I won't lie. This is my biggest not-so-secret. On the weekends when I do my really long runs/workouts, I check ahead and see what's going to be on TV. I love the Food Network (ha) and always schedule my workouts around a good block of shows. It breaks everything down into 30 minute blocks and commercial breaks. Weird but it works for me.

So, these are my tips. Not mind blowing by any means but they work for me. :) 

What are some of your tricks and tips for running on treadmills?

Happy Tuesday!

Sarah

PS--we got another snow day! :) Now.. if I can just figure out a way to get to the gym and get on the treadmill..... ;)

6 comments:

  1. TV really helps me. I too look at the guide ahead and see what's on so I know when to run on treadmill. ..haha. Sometimes I even DVR shows so I know I will have it during my run. -L

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    1. haha, i hear ya. on Saturday's & Sunday's, I always plan my run around which food network shows I'm going to watch. :)

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  2. I think mill running builds mental toughness. I too enjoy some Food Network while I run: Barefoot Contessa, Pioneer Woman, Cupcake Wars.....it's all good!

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    1. yes! Pioneer Woman, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, and Cupcake wars are my fav's. :)

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  3. Oh, man. I haven't tried running to the Food Network before, but I'm pretty sure if there's anyone who can break me from my lovely music zone-out, it'd be Alton Brown.

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  4. I've got to admit that I'm one of those treadmill haters because it just seems like every minute takes an hour. You're completely right that it's a mind game to distract myself. I think I need to try it again with my iPad and Netflix and some good distractions. Thanks for linking up with us!

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