I've been stuck between week 6 day 2 and day 3 (between running 10 minutes with 3 minute walk in between or just running 25 minutes straight). I cannot run the 25 minutes straight because I feel I get "bored". Does anyone else get bored on the treadmill? I'm fine running for 10 minutes at a time but if I'm just running straight, after about 15 minutes I'd rather do something else.
I know most people will say "just run outside". Unfortunately I live in a very hilly area, and I started the c25k on the treadmil, I'd like to finish it on the treadmil before running around outside. Running outside is much difficult for me than on the treadmill.
Anyway, like I said, am I just making excuses for myself or is this a common problem with people? Thanks!
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MirrorSaw
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I am only on week 2 but gave up on the treadmill by w1r2 as I was fed up of staring at a grey wall. No regrets about moving outside (even with the rain).
It is hilly here too (North Cornwall) so as you suggest I use the local bike trail. It has some inclines but nothing major and the beauty is I can use a number of start points.
Nope, I get bored on the treadmill as well. Even listening to my audiobook. The speed podcast (or a variation on it with fast and slow running) without the warm up/cool down walks, so about 16 minutes is as much as I can manage in one session.
It's more interesting if you vary the speed a bit, gives you something to focus on other than the endless plodding and unchanging view. I run on a treadmill most of the time. So you could run for 2 minutes at a little bit faster than you are now, then 2 minutes at a little bit slower. You can mentally tick of each of those 2 minute blocks as you play with the settings and the time does pass faster.
I did all of c25k on the treadmill before moving outside some time after. I found it easier if I covered up the display, so that I didnt know how long Id got left & just focused on laura.
are you in a gym? I was, so used to try & see if I could run for longer than the person next to me. or watch someone at the other side of the gym & see how many machines they would move round before I finished. boring I know but did give me something else to focus on.
I now cant run in the gym after buying a treadmill for home. reason being I get too hot in the gym. when I ran at home I had a portable fan pointing at me otherwise I overheat. are you just getting too hot to carry on running?
Yeah I go to the gym, I always try and have my own little personal competitions with others.... I win every time XD Theres also tons of tvs and such, I tried downloading a movie on my iphone and even got netflix and watched some family guy. For some reason when I watch movies/shows it makes it harder than just listening to music and wonder my eyes around the gym. I hope some day I can invest in a treadmill for home, that would be amazing! Thanks for the input
I understand your response to the treadmill. It is not motivating for me at all. I had thought i might use a treadmill when i started but now i will only use one when i am travelling in a country where insecurity is an issue. I personally would prefer being out in pouring rain or getting up early to avoid the heat just to avoid using a treadmill but i live in a safe community so i am privileged to have that option to run at any time of day or night. Playing music is my only distraction when on the treadmill and focusing on how my exercise goal is about a long term goal to stay healthy. Good luck and hope you can find a way to enjoy the treadmill !
Go and run outside if you can... The treadmill it's not motivating at all! It's for training yourself for later... But for running it's not nice even though you have music! I think going outside will motivate you more!
I did my first few weeks on the treadmill and yes, it was more difficult when I first ventured outside. I too live in an area where it is impossible to have a non-hilly run ! The trick is not to try and maintain pace on the hills but to maintain effort, which almost certainly means smaller steps and a slower pace. It isn't easy but it is satisfying and certainly more interesting !
Give it a go, even if you do an un-timed, non-program run just to see what it is like. Running outside for the first time feels like a Huge step - but it is worth it.
I agree that the treadmill is boring and I am only on W3. I suppose the thing about running is that it is about overcoming lots of things, as well as challenging our fitness. I am beginning to overcome my embarrassment about running outside - because the treadmill is quite frankly boring and I can't imagine running for over 3 minutes on one (as I will have to do on W4). So I figure that whilst running outside is embarrassing and also harder for me - it is better that I overcome that challenge now.
Sometimes our environment is also challenging. You say you live in a hilly area, and this makes it more challenging for you to run outside, but not, I assume impossible. It may mean that you have to adjust to your environment and face the challenge - at least it won't be as boring as the treadmill is to you!
I've done the whole programme on a treadmill because on back problems - I do get bored but i have downloaded good music or i time my gym vivit to coinside with a cookery programme then Im watching food and still burning it off! I agree cover the timer it does help - the other thing i do is put on a running profile and like another blogger i mix up the speeds - i gave up Laura on week six, i know what i have to run so just do it. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as you exercise ....good luck
I'm using a treadmill in our gym at work, and yes it is boring, once I got to the longer runs I ditched the podcasts and started using my own playlist which helped, I don't look at the timer until I have listened to a set number of songs and then it is always a bit of a surprise how far I have got
I did c25k outside but still had the problem of the psychological barrier of 25 mins. In the end I gave up and moved onto the 28 min runs and had not problems completing them without getting bored. I knew my main battle would be lack of confidence so powering through was the only way to go. Is there someone you know at the gym who could run alongside you- the competitive attitiude might distract you?!
I did weeks 1 to 7 on the treadmill and then went outside and I just LOVED it, I might have to go back to the treadmill when it gets icy but am dreading that!
Re the hills, if it helps, what I used to do was either drive to the sea front so I could run on the flat but when I couldnt, I would just run a little way up the hill then turn back and run down and then turn back again and run back till I had done it, Looked like a nutter but I didnt care!
I have been using a treadmill and I got stuck on the 20 min run. I havent done much on the treadmill in the last 3 weeks as I have been ill. I went outside and did 3.6k today! Was sooooooo much easier outside.
I have just seen this question whilst browsing.
I started C25K outside and only came inside on week 5 when it started getting dark at 5pm and then only for run 2 and 3 on a monday and wednesday (I start my week on a saturday afternoon) and will continue to do this until it gets snowy and/or icy underfoot then I will do all runs inside until the weather improves and the evenings get lighter. (I am on week 8 now and close to graduating).
I've been wondering about the winter and been considering joining a gym so I can run on a treadmill, but having read all this thread I think I will stay outside. I run on a 900m circuit and even though there is always something to distract me such as an over excited dalmation chasing me or its tail, a group of kids going crazy on bikes or the squirrels dashing out in front of me, I get bored with the same scenery. I do run in different directions and sometimes in figure eight insted of complete loops around the outside of the park, but I think I would go crazy on a treadmill so I am hoping for a gentle winter. I am from scotland but I hate the cold, so let's hope this winter is a mild one.
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