The Benefit and Pitfalls of a Treadmill?

As mentioned previously, I have been doing my runs on the treadmill. This happens usually when it is just too dang cold in the early morning for me to do my runs outside (and too dark for me to feel comfortable to run alone).

Once it warms up, I tend to run at about 5:30 am and run as the sun rises here in Albuquerque and the temps are around 50 degrees.

Back to the treadmill – the benefit is that I work in the building at work where the treadmills are located – in Johnson Center at the University of New Mexico. Lucky me? It makes my lunch workouts pretty easy and the “commute” even better – a trip to the other side of the building to the locker room, change, workout, shower, change, and back to my office.

Back to the treadmill – benefits: I can force myself to run faster. I can change the grade at exact moments. I can force myself to keep running just a little bit more. I can push, push, push and push a little bit more. And if I push too hard? Theoretically, there are at least a few people there to attend to me, and people who know who I am.

Back to the treadmill – pitfalls: I can change the grade an exact moment – not like the great outdoors. And there are limits to those grades, which doesn’t help me train for my 9% grade trail run in August. I get bored easily, since the scenery doesn’t change much. And if I push to hard and I pass out? There are people there who can attend to me and know who I am! Remember I WORK in the building! I have to show my face there every day!

Back to the treadmill – the point: it is helping me with speed work that I don’t usually do while I’m running in the great outdoors, which I know I should to work on.

I think I'll keep going back to the treadmill for a while...

Today’s accomplishments: The Firm Abs – using 3 pound weighs and 12 pound body bar; treadmill run: 4.25 miles, 40.00 mins 9.24.7 min/mile; information from treadmill (plus 3 minute cook down).

Yesterday’s Accomplishments (Jan 20): Crunch Cardio Sculpt using 3-5 lbs; did RealAge “20-Minute Workout” but it took 45 minutes.