I definitely run outside until it's about 15 degrees, however once there is snow/ice I'm off to the treadmill. Now in Charlotte this was rare and if it did happen it did't last long, alas we are no longer enjoying the perks of the southern weather. However, in Charlotte it was more common for me to be banished to the treadmill due to a missed morning run and excessive afternoon/evening heat!! Nonetheless it is important to learn how to keep yourself entertained on the treadmill.....1) My first and favorite trick is finding a good movie/show: No, seriously!! If I can preoccupy myself I am no longer focusing on how I feel like I'm dying and wondering "is it over yet?" Get sucked into those "Sex & the City" marathons or the NCAA tournament (as we currently are) and the time will sail on by!
2) Intervals: I'm usually fine running at a steady pace (around a 9:30-10 minute mile for me) for about 3 miles, but after that I am shot aka sooooo effing bored. Time to give myself some goals and change it up a bit with some intervals. I rarely do inclines because I seem to jack up my stride and tweak my knee a little, so I mainly play with speed. My favorite is a 30 second sprint usually between 7.0-7.5 mph (depending on how sluggish I'm feeling) and a 45-60 sec recovery at a jog around 6.0 mph. This is great because you really get your sweat on, feel that burn in your legs & lungs, and the time will sprint on by as well (so corny ;) ). Generally I focus on the intervals for about 1 mile or so, but you could definitely time your intervals and say do 30 sec sprints with 60 sec recovery for maybe 5-7 minutes or so. Trust me you will feel so accomplished when it's over and that last mile won't feel like such a hall.
3) Trick yo'self: Yes, different from treat yo'self (my favorite way to justify chocolate & shopping). I do this with outside running as well, but on the treadmill it's a little trickier as you can't really use visual objects as goals. I try to talk to myself in terms of mileage. For example, if I'm planning to run 3 miles, once I'm at a mile I'll tell myself that I only have to do that same mile 2 more times. Once I hit 1.5 miles hey, I'm halfway there! And with hitting 2 miles, man that last mile is nothing. It's all about how you talk to yourself and trust me you can talk your mind out of anything & really turn that boring, monotonus treadmill into a mind game!
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| After this morning's treadmill work out of intervals and RHONY reruns! |
So hang in there for a little longer my northerners the treadmill is almost over! And for my southerners maybe reference this blog in August when the humidity makes you feel like you are running underwater ;)
I feel this way on the elliptical lately! Trying to avoid too much running outside to take care of my knee, but being on the elliptical is not nearly as entertaining!
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