Love/Hate Relationship with the Treadmill

We all have that, right? I mean, I like having the treadmill. I like not having to go out in the cold, ice, and snow--or more normally around here, the dreadful heat of summer--but who really likes using their treadmill? I should consider myself lucky to have it, I know. At any rate, I have been using my treadmill again lately, see previous postings, only I don't have it set up the way I want it yet. It's in my unfinished basement, no TV, no real heat, nothing to do but stare at the stud walls. I do have a radio, but that's it. I guess that's an incentive to hurry up and get the exercise over with.

Okay, so here's my accountability report for last week. I was doing well using the treadmill every other day all last week: I began on Sunday and worked out on Tuesday and Thursday as well. Then, with the snow over the weekend, I slacked off a bit. I kept thinking the sledding down and climbing back up the hill would count as exercise, but there wasn't nearly enough of that. However, I was back at it tonight.

I generally do 45-50 minutes, about 2.5 miles walking and jogging. Am I making progress towards my goal? I think so. Running isn't as hard each time. The first day on the treadmill was okay. I ran in 1-2 minute stretches and arguably tried to do too much too soon. The second day on the treadmill I was extremely sore, but I quickly found myself in a pattern of running one minute, walking two. I liked the rhythm and the ability to push it then recover. The entire time was painful, and the soreness continued for a couple days afterwards, but there was no injury, just sore muscles. On day three, I warmed up extra slowly and remembered to stretch. (Well, I always remember to stretch; I just don't always do it. I know that's bad...I get that.) That time I also kept up my rhythm of running one minute and walking two (after the warm up and stretching, of course). That day was easier and less painful, with no real soreness afterwards.

Today, I started out in my run one, walk two pattern, but then I lengthened it to run one and a half minutes, walk two and a half minutes. I was a little tired, I think partly because I skipped a day over the weekend, but I felt good afterwards.

While you may argue that every other day isn't enough, and I understand that from a weight loss stance, I think it is enough for training to run a 5K. It's been years since I've run any distance, and if I'm going to stick with it, the training has to be manageable. My ideal goal is to run on the treadmill about every other day and do some walking on the days in between. I will say, however, that I cannot JUST walk on the treadmill. I get on it, and I want to get it over with. (Did I mention I hate the treadmill?) So after just a few minutes, I'm jogging. I've tried walking only, and unless I'm injured, I can't do it. I think when the weather improves, I'll be more apt to get my walking in. I like walking around campus when it's pretty, and I have three days a week when Ana's in dance that I can walk...I just don't generally want to do that in the cold and dark.

Anyway, that's it for my update. Not much to report, but I didn't want anyone to think I'd given up so soon. I am still afraid to step on the scales. I might do that next week, maybe.