I have said it before and will say it again. I strongly dislike the treadmill. I would even venture to say that the treadmill ruins running or even stops people new to running. I am not sure if a love for running to be fully grown on a dreadmill.
When I first got back into running I did the TM a lot because my intense fear my asthma was going to flare up. I was scared I would be off running and have a attack and no one too help. This was probably more than anything fueled by them changing the formulation of Albuterol around the same time. It never has worked as well and even though I have never had a attack when running I got scared. That mixed with steep rolling hills around my house running on a TM did seem more appealing.
I struggled a lot even from the beginning. I knew it had been awhile since I really ran but it couldnt really be THIS hard right? My legs seemed to not be able to stay under me (Im fairly short at barely 5'5 & I am ALL upper body) no matter what the speed. I would bang my wrist some way some how constantly. But mostly I would be fixated on the speed, time, & pace. No matter how good the music was!
It was when I decided that if I really ever wanted to do over a 10K over 6 miles on a TM is pretty much torture I needed to over come my fears. My 1st couple runs were horrible & amazing all in one. How in the love of glitter filled unicorn poop could my 1.5 mile run outside feel more of a workout abs aching & all then a 4.5 mile TM run? It didnt make sense to me at 1st. If anything just baffled me and made me wonder if it was all in my head. Could I really be losing it? I got into running to try to abstain my sanity! Even running in 400 meter circles at the near by high school track was even awesome.
Then during my one of my horrific runs that started out amazingly prefect. I wish I was kidding I am talking alone on a trail, approaching dusk, 2 men in a white "raper" van, and almost jumped in a deep creek out of fear To this day I don't like to think of what would of happen if that man jogging who came out of almost nowhere. He may of stopped this very dumb girl running alone at dusk on a trail alone with no protection from getting really hurt. Other than being scared I did noticed something else when I got back to my car. I ran faster even if it felt like I was going slower. I wasn't really going slower I just wasn't straining, but mostly I was really enjoying my run. It was then I decided no more trail runs alone or at dusk and I was going to run outdoors as much as possible.
Today I decided to go to the gym & jump on a TM. It was a beautiful day, but needed to be able to end a run quickly if needed be. For the last week I was experiencing some knee pain, but this was different pain. I had some knee pain when I first started. I hate to say it was from not properly fitted running shoes. This stupid mistake on my part I slowed & almost stopped most of my running for awhile. This pain was usually on the sides of my knees and most of the time only when running. This time my pain was on the top of the knee cap on my right leg. The worst part was it was pretty much a constant throbbing. I took a couple days off running but I did the Ripped in 30. Today the pain was almost nonexistent so I figured to give it a try. I figured 3 miles was short enough to be able to do comfortably and long enough that if I was going to have pain I would. I did use 1 strip of KT Tape under my right knee to stabilize a little. I went 3.2 miles and felt great! I went home and stretched and then stretched some more. Followed by icing and then soaking a long bath. I am going to be watching it closely but I am glad to say I can get back to running :)
The only downside to the run was that it was on a treadmill. Even if I was planning on a slow steady run I struggled with even going over a speed of 6. I was more winded then I should of been and it was because my stride wasn't as good as outdoors. The worse part was like always I was fixated on the numbers in front of me. It's almost like a punishment watching the numbers and putting a towel over it doesn't help much.
In the end treadmills suck but definitely serve their purpose. If any thing when I am really forced to use them it makes me realize how much I love running outdoors! Sometimes it is good to have a friendly reminder of how great it is to run outdoors.
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| Isn't it purrrty? |
I struggled a lot even from the beginning. I knew it had been awhile since I really ran but it couldnt really be THIS hard right? My legs seemed to not be able to stay under me (Im fairly short at barely 5'5 & I am ALL upper body) no matter what the speed. I would bang my wrist some way some how constantly. But mostly I would be fixated on the speed, time, & pace. No matter how good the music was!
It was when I decided that if I really ever wanted to do over a 10K over 6 miles on a TM is pretty much torture I needed to over come my fears. My 1st couple runs were horrible & amazing all in one. How in the love of glitter filled unicorn poop could my 1.5 mile run outside feel more of a workout abs aching & all then a 4.5 mile TM run? It didnt make sense to me at 1st. If anything just baffled me and made me wonder if it was all in my head. Could I really be losing it? I got into running to try to abstain my sanity! Even running in 400 meter circles at the near by high school track was even awesome.
Then during my one of my horrific runs that started out amazingly prefect. I wish I was kidding I am talking alone on a trail, approaching dusk, 2 men in a white "raper" van, and almost jumped in a deep creek out of fear To this day I don't like to think of what would of happen if that man jogging who came out of almost nowhere. He may of stopped this very dumb girl running alone at dusk on a trail alone with no protection from getting really hurt. Other than being scared I did noticed something else when I got back to my car. I ran faster even if it felt like I was going slower. I wasn't really going slower I just wasn't straining, but mostly I was really enjoying my run. It was then I decided no more trail runs alone or at dusk and I was going to run outdoors as much as possible.
Today I decided to go to the gym & jump on a TM. It was a beautiful day, but needed to be able to end a run quickly if needed be. For the last week I was experiencing some knee pain, but this was different pain. I had some knee pain when I first started. I hate to say it was from not properly fitted running shoes. This stupid mistake on my part I slowed & almost stopped most of my running for awhile. This pain was usually on the sides of my knees and most of the time only when running. This time my pain was on the top of the knee cap on my right leg. The worst part was it was pretty much a constant throbbing. I took a couple days off running but I did the Ripped in 30. Today the pain was almost nonexistent so I figured to give it a try. I figured 3 miles was short enough to be able to do comfortably and long enough that if I was going to have pain I would. I did use 1 strip of KT Tape under my right knee to stabilize a little. I went 3.2 miles and felt great! I went home and stretched and then stretched some more. Followed by icing and then soaking a long bath. I am going to be watching it closely but I am glad to say I can get back to running :)
The only downside to the run was that it was on a treadmill. Even if I was planning on a slow steady run I struggled with even going over a speed of 6. I was more winded then I should of been and it was because my stride wasn't as good as outdoors. The worse part was like always I was fixated on the numbers in front of me. It's almost like a punishment watching the numbers and putting a towel over it doesn't help much.
In the end treadmills suck but definitely serve their purpose. If any thing when I am really forced to use them it makes me realize how much I love running outdoors! Sometimes it is good to have a friendly reminder of how great it is to run outdoors.
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