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!
Written by
UnfitNoMore
Graduate10
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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. ❤️
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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 😏😂
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.
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.
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!
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.
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It’s 90% mental!
I'm back, albeit slow and steady
Treadmill/Garmin Calibration Run 
No outdoor runs for a little while.
