Forums >General Running>I hate the dreadmill
It is currently so icy outside that you can basically just move on all fours. So last night I gave in and hopped onto the treadmill for an hour. I thought I would watch my favourite TV show so it will not be too boring. I even got the treadmill infront of the right TV at the gym but the sound channel was not working.
I ended up watching some doku about the Panama Canal and nearly died because it was so boring. Besides, after 30 mins my right ankle and knee hurt a bit from time to time. I never have problems with that when running outside even though I run longer and much faster. I guess I have a very odd running form on the treadmill.
I just hate it and hope the weather will decide one way or another soon (warmer or real snow) so that I can run outside again.
Feeling the growl again
I used to as well but now do over two hours at a time and the majority of my mileage on my home machine, due primarily to parenting duties. A TV with DVR andBluetooth headset setup helps immensely.
Gym machines are another story. I cannot stand the suboptimal situation and an hour is a grind.
Your form can be different on the treadmill. After awhile of easing into it you will adapt.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
+1 to everything spaniel said. It just takes time to get used to. I had the same experience, running on the gym treadmill on rare occasion was always painful and felt like a harder workout than doing the same miles/pace outside. Then I got one for home, due to my family situation, and in a couple weeks it felt comfortable. It is as if you need a slightly different running form, and it just takes several sessions to develop the running economy adaption.
A Saucy Wench
I find that using a tiny bit of incline (~1% for me) helps with the form issue (not because of any bullshit windresistance thing, lets not comet that). Also, I find it helps to hit buttons every once in a while. More incline, less incline, faster, slower. Not a lot , just a little. You dont run like a metronome outside.
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k
dreadmills mean indoors, no matter where, which means higher temps.... which means I over heat and sweat like a pig - one reason I hate them. But at times one needs to use them....sigh
+1 what Spaniel said
bob e v 2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?
Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full
Break the 1000 mi barrier!
History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.
dreadmills mean indoors, no matter where, which means higher temps.... which means I over heat and sweat like a pig - one reason I hate them. But at times one needs to use them....sigh +1 what Spaniel said
My treadmill has an effective fan in front (rare), I put it under a ceiling fan, and a box fan behind which I plan to build a frame for so I can put it over the deck and closer. But in the summer my upstairs still gets warmenough to make extended hard workouts rough.
There is at least one very good runner on here that runs a lot on the treadmill and uses a 1% incline as standard. Hat gave me shinissues I could not work through so I use no default incline.
Have you considered screwing a pair of your old shoes?
Another +1 for Spaniel. Your body will get used to it.
Not sure how busy your gym is, but it doesn't hurt to ask if anyone minds if you change the channel. I bet no one wanted to watch that documentary but everyone assumed maybe someone did and didn't want to ask. (Although, I think I might know the one you're talking about. Did it talk about how they re-routed the whole project? I thought that was fascinating. But, I was watching it with sound.) If the sound is broken or I forget headphones, I find sports like basketball and soccer are just as enjoyable without the commentary. Maybe even better.
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.
No Talent Drips
Took the liberty to link xtoph's perverted commentary.
The mill can be total misery...I try to use it for interval/progressive workouts (speed or hill) or as a warm up/cool down for a weight/core session (2 miles on either side). Very occasionally the weather gets so bad outside that I have done long runs on the mill (15+)...and for those, I just need to get my head right before i get on the blessed thing; use it as a mindfulness meditation on misery, or some nonsense like that.
Dei Gratia
My TM has a pretty good fan, with a low speed and a high. That helps. It's also in the basement, which is always cooler than the rest of the house. I put some music on high and I'm good to go. I do, however, do a lot with speed and incline, making the runs progressive or with short high speed intervals. Much less boring than continuing always at the same pace.
Thanks for all the replies!
I will give it another try tomorrow. Not running at all is not an option as my first 10k is just about three weeks ahead. Even if I am running a whole minute slower than my easy pace outside, at least I am running.
Screws in old shoes: I have read about that but there is only a very thin layer of ice on the sidewalks (I live in the city, next park is 15 running minutes away, or half an hour on public transportation). I suppose it does not feel great to run with screws on pavement most of the time.
Changing channel of the TV in my gym: There are several TV screens in front of the cardio machines. One hat the right channel but the matching sound channel was not fed into the system. Maybe they fixed it. I still remember one day last winter when there was only tennis on when I was on the treadmill. I gave up after 45 min. It was so boring it hurt.
If it is important to you ... you would run 3 hour staring at a concrete wall - Tough'n up better-cup. I have run 50+ miles on a TM - Becuase it was what I wannted to do.
Mental state is the success or failure
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
If it is important to you ... you would run 3 hour staring at a concrete wall - Tough'n up better-cup. I have run 50+ miles on a TM - Becuase it was what I wannted to do. Mental state is the success or failure
Is the better-cup the silipint?
I give that a C.
Haha. Nice.
I hit the hotel treadmill for a second run last night. I was immediately reminded why I hate the dang headphone cord flopping around. Eventually I caught it by accident and ripped them out, so I just left them hanging and left them hanging until I finished. Good thing I remembered the dialogue from th movie.