Monday, May 31, 2010

The Dreadmill

The treadmill is not my friend
I feel that we have a hate hate relationship. I hate the dreadmill and it hates me right back . 

Today, after failing to get up at 6am and go out running (it was so dark! and raining! it was impossible.) I decided to hit up the gym after work and get my run in on the treadmill. I had 3.75 miles on the agenda. 

Mile 1 was pretty good, I had a decent pace and ran it in about 9mins30. I get so hot in the gym though, I get hot when I workout anyway and always enjoy a beetroot face for a while after working out. 

Mile 2 kicks in and I'm sweating, I'm thinking about how hot I am, thinking am I running too fast, thinking I'd like to just get this over with. Remembering why I hate the treadmill.

Then I got a stitch, I hate stitches!  I tried to run through it, doing the breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth thing which seems to just make me more out of breath, so I slowed down and walked to try and stretch it out. 

Then I got running again, and then ANOTHER stitch! This time on the other side, again I walk and stretch it out. I'm feeling really frustrated now and ridiculously hot. 

After getting running again I got yet another stitch, this time underneath my ribs, what is this! Then my arm starts aching, the dreadmill is out to get me, it's evil. This takes me up to around 3 miles, but the goal is to finish at 3.75miles. At this point I actually stopped the treadmill and was about to give up and go and shower. BUT (and this is a turning point for me I think!) I told myself NO, I have to finish this distance! 

So away I went again on, 0.75mile to go! Arghhh just let this be over, I walked some and then my Nike+ told me there was just 400 metres to go so I hit the speed button, and ran my little heart out. In my head chanting 'You are stronger than you know' Ahhh love the mantras. 

I did it, I'm pleased I did it, but anytime I think its a good idea to run on the treadmill I need to remember todays torture and re-read this. Regardless of the weather it is always better to run outside. 

Running lesson #17 learnt. The dreadmill is evil. 


3 comments:

  1. Haha, the "dreadmill!" My grandma (First Canadian to Swim the English Channel) always told me, "mind over matter." If you set you mind to doing something and believe you can do it, you will prevail. Great words from a great woman!

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  2. wow well done, excellent result it would have been so easy to give up but you didn't. Remember our trip to Ragdale Hall, you had beauty treatments & I had swimming lessons. Well I also had a gym session & learnt something that really works. Wet a towel & squeeze it out, then when you are super hot drape it around your neck for a while - it really does work to cool you down. Doesn't make the beetroot face go away tho. Running outdoors is the best place to run xx

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  3. To stay focussed, Paula Radcliffe counts to 100 over and over again during a marathon.

    Boring hell!!!!

    Love Reece

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