I’m Going Crazy…

on January 8, 2014
in Treadmill Workouts

That’s all I could think as I tried to plow through 5.0 miles on the treadmill. I’m going crazy!  I’m going crazy!  Arrrrrrgh.  Felt like I was truly losing my mind.  I greatly admire those who can run on the treadmill, but I am simply not that woman.

 

I tried a  bunch of my old tricks (which are summed in nicely in this post)…

 

Listened to NPR.  Interesting, but didn’t do the trick.

npr_logo_rgb

Listened to my favorite song on blast and repeat. 

I ended up with a total ear worm but was still bored.

earworm2

Ran through to do lists and shopping lists and grand plans in my mind… Still bored.

 

I got off after 2.5 miles and hoofed it upstairs to finished on the indoor track.

 

YOU GUYS!!!  Indoor track > Treadmill (at least to me).  It was so much more fun.

photo 2 (27)

I really need to run the track more often.  I thought I’d feel like a hamster on a wheel (it takes 12 laps to run a mile) but it wasn’t bad at all. 

 

Do you feel like a running ninja if you wear all black?  I do.

photo 3 (18)

See?  Ninja! <— (I had fun reading this flashback post of when Megan and I ran 20 miles in preparation of our first marathon.  2009 seems so far away.)

IMG_3000_thumb

So, in total, I ran 5.0 miles today.  Which felt pretty good considering how mentally tough it felt.

 

On the way off the track, I spotted this fun track workout.  Looks super challenging.

photo 1 (25)

Let me know if you give it a try – I want to test it out soon, too!

 

So – any treadmill fans out there?  What about indoor track addicts?  And I’m sure there’s at least one or two running ninjas…. Smile

{ 48 comments }

 

  • Laura@SneakersandSpatulas January 8, 2014, 1:43 pm

    Ugh I hate the treadmill and will avoid it all costs. I’ll be in the middle of Ironman 70.3 training when we go to Mexico for 5 days and I’m already dreading the thought of having to run on a treadmill to get in my workouts as we’re concerned about safety down there. I’ve never heard the term “ear bug” before, makese sense though.

    http://www.sneakersandspatulas.com/2014/01/07/how-to-dress-for-cold-weather-running/

  • Elise @ Expeditions of Elise January 8, 2014, 1:57 pm

    I had a similar terrible experience with the treadmill last week. Was supposed to run 3 miles, but stopped after 2 because I JUST. CAN’T. TAKE IT. So boring. Also, I feel like I run SO much slower on the treadmill, even though it’s not true at all. So weird.

  • Natalie @ Free Range Human January 8, 2014, 2:08 pm

    I actually don’t mind the treadmill at all. I think it probably helps that the treadmill in question is in my living room and I am in complete control of what’s on the TV 🙂

  • Sana January 8, 2014, 2:10 pm

    I can’t do more than a mile on the treadmill without wanting to just quit and run away 🙂 I just play with the speed to get it over with as fast as possible. Outdoor running is the best, I run even when it’s below freezing 🙂

  • Jack Sh*t January 8, 2014, 2:36 pm

    If you cover the treadmill belt with sandpaper and spray salt-water mist in your face, it totally feels like you’re running on a Mexican beach!

  • Sarah January 8, 2014, 2:43 pm

    OMG I had never heard the term “ear worm” before and I totally thought it had something to do with gross ear wax or something… but curiosity got the better of me and I clicked the wikipedia link with great trepidation. (I have a really weak stomach.) I literally had one eye closed, barely squinting out the other for fear of gross ear wax photos hahahaha. Boy was I relieved!

    • Caitlin January 8, 2014, 2:43 pm

      LOL i love it

  • Esther January 8, 2014, 2:49 pm

    Haha, this could not be more well-timed. I had a 7 mile run that I had to move indoors due to weather this weekend, so I downloaded a pretty good episode of This American Life and covered up the display on the treadmill. It was going OK until I made the mistake of peeking – I was convinced I had maybe half a mile to go, but instead it was 2 miles. That was a pretty crappy feeling… 🙂

  • Melissa @ Mel's Miles January 8, 2014, 2:52 pm

    I love the treadmill for shorter runs or speed training, but I definitely can’t handle more than 5 or 6 miles. I think the most I did on the treadmill was a 10 miler during marathon training (there was a heavy rain storm that day) and I had to switch between 3 treadmills to maintain my sanity.

  • Breanne January 8, 2014, 2:58 pm

    Try as I might, I just cannot handle the dreadmill. I usually can’t make it more than a mile anymore (there was a once a time where I could do 3-4). It’s just so BORING.

  • Janelle January 8, 2014, 3:02 pm

    Never heard of ear worm before either, but I definitely get it all.the.time.

    I prefer outdoor running hands down. The only time I’ve run on a treadmill was in my parents basement while watching TV. Ironically I usually watched the Food Network, so I’d feel like cooking afterward. Haha

  • Katie January 8, 2014, 3:08 pm

    I did a spin/run class the other day (ummm, thanksgiving weekend) which I loved! We did a 10 min spin warmup, a 10 min run, 20 min spin, 20 min run! It was really great to mix it up.

  • Aurora@Fitness is Sweet January 8, 2014, 3:23 pm

    My treadmill limit is 3 miles tops. The one time I went out with the intention of 5 miles, I gave up after 1!

  • Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties January 8, 2014, 3:30 pm

    I am terrible at treadmill running- it feels so much harder than real running, I guess because of the mental aspect. I don’t have a gym membership at the moment so all my running has to take place outdoors (thank goodness!)

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs January 8, 2014, 4:00 pm

    Ugh, I had a rough time on the treadmill today too — eventually I just got off and did some circuit training to round out my workout. I just couldn’t take it anymore!

  • Beks January 8, 2014, 4:03 pm

    I used to prefer the elliptical over the treadmill, mostly because I hated running. But I’ve been making myself do the treadmill, just because the elliptical kills my knees now, and also because I’m determined to finish C25k, and run the Disney Princess half marathon with my college girlfriends next year, so I’m not minding it yet (I’m just working on the treadmill now because it’s 0 degrees in Iowa, and because I have the stamina of a post-Christmas Santa Claus). When the weather gets nicer, I hope to add more miles outside to what I can do. 🙂

  • Ali January 8, 2014, 4:08 pm

    I used to LOVE the treadmill. I’m a power walker and it was my best friend as I live in a cold climate. I would always watch TV. I could knock out 9-10 miles in two hours and loved it so much. I must have gotten burned out or something because I’ve only used my treadmill a handful of times in the past year. I now do workout videos if I need to be inside. My pretty treadmill looks sad all dusty though…

  • Abby January 8, 2014, 4:21 pm

    Ugh, treadmill running is tough. Why can’t there be a magical remote control that allows me to change the freezing temperatures outside to pleasant, running suitable ones? But I LOVE the way my legs feel so worked after a treadmill workout. My secret to dodge bordom is to press buttons – a lot. I’ll change my speed by .1 (or change the incline to a different level) every quarter to half mile. This helps me pass the time!

  • meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles January 8, 2014, 4:57 pm

    I am always posting how I hate the treadmill. And I do. BUT…Over the last week, I have become used to the silly machine and have come to realize I get a great run going on it…I tend to speed things up just to be done so I think I am working much harder when on the mill versus outside. I play with my speed almost the entire time, increasing by .5 for .10 and then dropping a few and then putting it right back up and then some…The faster I go, the faster the miles go, the faster I am done.

  • Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen January 8, 2014, 5:14 pm

    I’ve been hating the treadmill lately .. I went for a quick 2 miles and it felt like FOREVER. I wish my gym had an indoor track

  • Suzanne January 8, 2014, 5:15 pm

    For some new running tunes, check out the app called Songza. They have some great mixes and even one where all the songs beat to 90 beats per min (the ideal cadence of a runner)!

  • Coco January 8, 2014, 5:36 pm

    I don’t mind the treadmill, actually. I put on the Today Show and just plug away. But maybe I’m weird?

  • Karen January 8, 2014, 5:49 pm

    Indoor tracks are awesome, but they can also be ITBS instigators, especially if they have banked corners. I learned this the hard way after doing some longer runs on an indoor track.

  • K @ Finding a Skinnier me January 8, 2014, 5:53 pm

    I LOVE that song right now! I agree, I have never been good about walking or doing much of anything on a treadmill. It just seems crazy to stay in one place but be going somewhere. I have been known to obsessively mess with the buttons to relieve boredom 🙂

  • Jessica January 8, 2014, 6:33 pm

    I am a TOTAL treadmill junkie; mainly bc I stay at home w my son and we have one in the basement so I can do it while he is napping. I also go to bed super early so I watch a LOT of tv while on the treadmill (ABC app, Netflix) and bribe myself w my favorite shows.

  • Sara @ LovingOnTheRun January 8, 2014, 7:09 pm

    I’m oddly a treadmill fan. Maybe it is because I was injured for so long that now I’d just be happy to run anywhere!

  • Rachel January 8, 2014, 7:13 pm

    I don’t mind the treadmill *but* I’m never on it very long. 3 miles max. I tend to get bored with any workout after a certain point, doesn’t matter what it is. I try to workout as efficiently as possible; I usually max out after an hour. What’s that meme? “Ain’t nobody got time for that!!” That’s how I feel about the gym 😉 My typical workout is 20-30min on the bike or treadmill then a series of strength circuits.

  • Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope January 9, 2014, 4:59 am

    You know, I used to HATE the treadmill and now I’m on the fence with it. I get really bored really quickly, but I try to position myself so I can people watch and put together a playlist of good songs. I go to a smaller Gold’s Gym and we definitely don’t have a track, but since I live in Texas now I can luckily run/walk outside 99% of the time!

  • Runner Girl Eats January 9, 2014, 6:48 am

    yikes, 12 laps?! I would go nuts. If I have a tv I can run on the treadmill with no problem. Without a TV? I last .25 miles before pulling out my hair.

  • Angela@ Fit to Inspire January 9, 2014, 8:26 am

    I know its bad but the only time I can use a treadmill is if I have something interesting to watch while I run. I’d rather run outside any day.

  • Rob Runs January 9, 2014, 10:58 am

    I can’t make it past 3 on a treadmill before my head explodes, regardless of what music I have or what’s on TV. The only way I’ve learned to love it lately is to do super speedy intervals, I’ve convinced myself that running two miles fast is better than plodding along for three slow miles so I get myself off the machine faster. We don’t have an indoor track but given how much I hate running in circles on the outdoor track I don’t think I’d I’d like that either. I once ran the outdoor track on a cruise ship which was like 12 laps/mile, it was fun only because, you know, you’re on a boat.

  • Jill S January 9, 2014, 11:23 am

    I saw the track workout on my way to the gym and gave it a try – pretty good! Thanks for sharing!

    • Caitlin January 9, 2014, 1:09 pm

      awesome!

  • sarah January 9, 2014, 11:39 am

    I love the treadmill!! Well… I live in a country with no sidewalks and year round 100% humidity. During the summer I feel like death if I even walk outside, so I stick to running at the gym. I just people watch, and I like that I can just set my pace and go for it and not have to check my garmin every minute (like I do when I do run outside)

  • Katie January 9, 2014, 12:04 pm

    When I was marathon training I used to do 10 miles on the treadmill before my toddler woke up/ before work. I have a TV set up in front of it and a Roku. It’s really not that bad

  • Laura @ This is Thirty January 9, 2014, 12:08 pm

    I’m not as much of a treadmill fan as I used to be, but I’ve found that a good tv show (or even a book) gets me through a great run! Sometimes I even prefer the treadmill because it’s easier to zone out – which is not preferred for some runs, but great for the 20+ milers!

    I think treadmills > indoor tracks. I steep turns make my feet hurt, but I still try to do it sometimes because I don’t want all of my ultra training to be on a treadmill until it warms up enough in North Dakota to even go outside!

  • Pamela January 9, 2014, 2:25 pm

    NOTHING beats running outside on a gorgeous day! I absolutely hate the treadmill and always feel like my runs are so much harder on it. Indoor tracks are good i just heard they are super hard on your knees due to the turns and floor material 🙁

  • Bobbie January 9, 2014, 2:34 pm

    The treadmill is treacherous! I ran 12 miles on that da^n thing last sunday b/c of poor weather conditions! Before doing it, I thought I would die but..I didn’t. I was so strong that day..I cut it down in my head by telling myself “It’s just 6x 2 miles!” and then 5×2, 4×2 etc… However, yesterday I needed to run 6 and the weather was bad so I hopped on the treadmill and I thought, “I made it 12, I can certainly do 6!” I made it 4 miles and I am sorry to say I had to quit. That felt like the longest 4 miles of my life! I just could not torture myself for another 2 miles. It’s not often that I cut a schedule training run short but my mind killed me. I watched the numbers the whole time despite using all my usual tricks.

  • Kati January 9, 2014, 2:40 pm

    I completely agree! I have the hardest time running on the treadmill! I had to run 4 miles on Sunday and barely made it! I stopped after 2.5 miles and had to keep running/walking to stay occupied!

    Are you still training for that half marathon? I am in week 3 of Hal Higdon’s training plan although its hard to stay on track with the weather lately in Philly!

    • Caitlin January 9, 2014, 8:01 pm

      Yes! I’m loving training – it’s going really well. Good luck with yours!

  • Kelly January 9, 2014, 3:35 pm

    I go crazy on the treadmill too! Luckily, my gym is surrounded by some pretty awesome running trails and allows you to drop off your child in the childcare and run the trails. It’s a win-win for me and my toddler who would rather play than sit in the jogging stroller.

    • Caitlin January 9, 2014, 8:01 pm

      That is awesome. We can’t drop off and leave, unfortunately!

  • Taylor @ Singletrackedmind January 9, 2014, 7:52 pm

    Gotta mix up a workout on the treadmill. I rely on intervals, otherwise, I feel like a hamster going insane!

  • Mia January 9, 2014, 9:29 pm

    I go back and forth with my feelings about the treadmill. The treadmill helped me a lot before i had a garmin and wanted to track to my distance/speed. I do need to keep the screen covered though, and try and use the ones with personalized tv’s. Then with a good show, and my ipod, i can usually be okay. There are definitely times when i’m beyond bored and check my mileage every minute or so. But to be honest there times when i’m running outside and feel/do the same thing. Overall i guess i feel grateful when i have access to a treadmill, because i know it affords me the chance to run when i otherwise wouldn’t be able to (which i sometimes remind myself over and over again when i’m dying to get off.)
    I finally downloaded Katy Perry’s Roar New years day and have been listening to it non stop on my runs. I totally feel this is going to be my bounce back year, so i feel inspired to run fast and strong and keep going every time it comes on. I’m sticking to this belief even though i just had to quite my job, aaannnd just got rear ended. Still going to be on the upswing….
    Happy new year Caitlin!

  • Cyndi January 10, 2014, 8:41 am

    I love the treadmill for short easy runs or speed/hill work. I’m training for Boston this year and the temps have been brtually cold! I ran my 12 mile long run on the treadmill last week – breaking it up into chunks helped. After 5 miles I ate part of a banana, ate the other part at 10 miles and then busted out the last two at a quicker pace.
    also finding something good on TV — a marathon of a good show or cooking shows on the Food Network!
    http://www.cyndiroy.com

  • Alex @ Kenzie Life January 10, 2014, 10:04 am

    I used to really like running on the treadmill but it was more because I was a gym rat and too self-conscious to run outside. Then in 2012 I started running outside and it made a world of difference! It’s been too windy to run outside where I am so I just went back to the gym to try the treadmill and it was awful. I could only manage about a mile and a half because I kept looking down to see how much time had elapsed! Can’t wait for warmer weather!

  • Trudi January 10, 2014, 4:11 pm

    Hi!

    I found your track workout on pinterest and did with my bootcamp clients! It was hard. but they loved it!

  • Trinda January 15, 2014, 1:44 pm

    I actually don’t mind the treadmill, however, I’ve never done longer than 5k on one…I hate the track, especially bc the one at my gym is super-tiny (as in 50 laps is 5k…bleck).

Previous post:

Next post:

Search The Blog

Read by Month:

Read by Topic:

Healthy Tipping Point