Mental breakthrough

[UnfitNoMore]

I’m an outdoors runner... never got on with the treadmill as a kid and last time I tried using one I ran for 5 minutes and then hit that red button and ran home. Yesterday I went to a gym and decided that my 5 minute PB for treadmill running was going. I think it helped that just after I started a young woman started a brisk walk on the treadmill next to me... couldn’t quit! 40 minutes later the run was done! Had a chat with my neighbour as I took some water on... then I decided to get back on it and go again, this time using the screen in front of me to run part of the Rome marathon. 25 minutes passed quite swiftly, but in the middle of the run it suddenly got tough, I looked down to see that I was now on a 9% incline, but I hadn’t noticed it happening. The downhill that followed was lively though.

I can beat the treadmill... but I’m going to remain outdoors most of the time!

[Fabulous450 Graduate10]

Good on you for taking on the treadmill!! You conquered the indoor run by the sounds of it. 🤩! Looks like these treadmills are getting very good at providing a good virtual experience. It’s good to have the option for those days when the weather doesn’t allow for the outdoor run. ❤️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

It wasn’t as I remembered it, the changing incline was strange but familiar. What was weird was running next to someone walking and not getting ahead of her... luckily she was only doing 30 minutes!

[Fabulous450 Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

🤣! Hence the PB! Brilliant! 😁❤️

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate10]

It's a whole other world! It definitely has its uses but I agree nothing beats outside!! 👍🏻😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

It’s certainly different, and I actually joined the gym as it’s cheaper than a PT (£21 a month gets me 3x30 minutes PT a week if I want it) and I think it will be good to have. Looking forward to some nice mud and rain next time out!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Cross training is definitely worthwhile. I wish I had a gym within walking/ running distance. As it is I know I won't get back in my car once home, plus parking issues etc.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

My nearest gyms were so expensive and one didn’t even let under 16s in! I was looking for one where if the weather was terrible I could do 15 miles and little miss UNM could do her 5k and not get bored after.

[Jogunlikely in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Wow! amazing value. Down south I'd be lucky to in the door for that price. Maybe I should return to the lands of my ancestors!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Jogunlikely]

I had to shop around... it’s about 8 miles from home but only half a mile from a route I drive without time constraints about 8 times a week... it’s open 6am to 10pm too, so no real excuse not to go.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Good run for you UNM on the treadmill, 40 minutes, you must have ran more than a 5K, then the 25 minutes of a virtual Rome Marathon, altogether probably 10K.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Yep... 3.5 and 2.5 miles so near to 10k... went off my watch for consistency, and the two measured pretty close to the same distance, treadmill made it about 6.1 miles... and I’m pleased to say it was all in miles so I didn’t get too confused!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Great stuff... they are useful things, treadmills... I watch virtual runs when I have to use mine in winter...!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

I’d heard of these things... I wasn’t expecting to see other runners on it... at one point I was reminded of my mate’s parkrun pacing technique as I was following a woman in tiny shorts! I’m just waiting for his reports when he chooses to keep up with a super fast one 🤣

I’ll do it again maybe once a week to keep myself used to it in preparation for the icy days, just hoping that I don’t have to do too many long runs on one.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Woo well done UNM. I’m impressed you ran on it twice in one session! And 9% is a hefty incline so double kudos for that! 👍💪🏃‍♂️

I’ll be going to the gym when the weather gets truly grim and I’m short on time. I’m holding out as long as possible though. 😅

[Katnap Graduate10]

New PBs are always a boost!

So 9% incline.... practice for Lyme Park?

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

I didn’t plan it... the machine did it all to me, sneaky thing!

Now if someone has a treadmill that can go to 20% and has a loose rocky surface that would be great for a practice 🤣. I did consider driving there on Monday for a practice, but then I figured if it was too hard I’d skip Saturday... if that hill is gonna embarrass me I’d rather do it with friends!

[Katnap Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

🤣 running outdoors is the best way to practice running outdoors!

I could try going uo and down the stairs after the cat has got carried away digging in the litter box and generously redistributing bits... sigh

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

Good plan... can you have someone hit you with a jet washer at the same time? That’s pretty much how it felt back in February!

[Katnap Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Someone said it might be a bit stormy....

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

Horizontal cold rain... what’s not to like?

I got blown sideways on the top last time, and I was walking... kinda made me feel slimmer!

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

I did most of the C25K programme on a treadmill (due to an old injury) and absolutely loved it. But once I went outside after graduation I didn’t return to the ‘mill until last winter when The Beast prevented me from running outdoors. Gawd that was hard! I had forgotten how hot it gets and I was sweating buckets, didn’t like it at all although it definitely has a place in training. If elite athletes can use it for training then I’m sure I can too 😏😂

Well done on a great training session!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks... it was strange to suddenly be back on a warm run. When I used to have to do indoor sessions it was all about getting it done and getting off the thing as soon as possible, something that remained with me through 30 years of not running. It was very different to think I was going to go nice and slowly and actually spend some time on it. Anybody doing C25K on a treadmill has my utmost respect. I don’t think I would have completed my first run the other day if it hadn’t been for not wanting to look stupid in front of the young woman on the next treadmill, but once I’d broken the barrier down I started looking at my running plan and working out if it was good to go again, as both are under my long run and I have a pretty light week I figured that it was.

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Haha 😂😂 yes it’s a great motivator to have someone beside you. Competitive? Never ... 🙄😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

She may have been walking, but there’s no way I was stopping before her... good job she wasn’t there for a 2 hour walk really!

[Duddles]

In the good old socialist Isle of Man we have a 'Government' gym at our National Sports Centre and with a discount for my extreme age, it costs just over £200 a year for all the facilities, which include full size swimming pool, sauna, steam room etc. and a well equipped gym, and good treadmills, but no snazzy Rome marathon and such like displays.

I currently have the opposite problem - I am finding it hard to go outside - wind and rain being some of the factors - but am sort of addicted to the precision and certainty of regulating speeds and inclines, and being able to increase speeds at will.

It is only races which get me outside and I need a kick up the arse to get out there again for training runs.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Duddles]

I’m moving!!!

Running is running, a few practice outdoor runs before a race would be enough to adapt I think, once a week in decent weather would keep your eye in.

[Miss-fuschia Graduate10]

This is good to hear all this talk about treadmills! Joined a gym recently and today did a whole hours running on the treadmill, a slow pace as I was thinking it was miles but turned out it was in kms! Oooops!il speed up next time! I think I prefer outdoors running as it’s abit boring just looking at myself running in the mirror( no high tech screens here) but it’s good I like it! Love the rowing machine though! I’m so lucky the gym is where my sons nursery is and only £15 a month! Full of every type of people fit and unfit, old and young! Community gyms are great!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Miss-fuschia]

Here’s me thinking I had a bargain.... £15 is amazing.

I’m waiting to see how my daughter gets in with the treadmills... she runs in km and it gets confusing when we run together, but she’s gonna have to run some if I don’t tell her the number to go to.

[backintime Graduate10]

I misread the header and thought you'd had a mental break"down"

Glad you can run in your gym during the wet and cold if you want/need to!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to backintime]

🤣. I think it could have been a breakdown that made me go in... I’m not a gym person. Glad that I did though.