So with Michigan weather nothing is guaranteed, but so far through this season my treadmill totals are pretty significant compared to the same period last year.
January 1, 2013 - March 22, 2013: 16 days of treadmill running for 71 miles.
January 1, 2014 - March 22, 2014: 31 days of treadmill running for 192.5 miles.
I did not include December of either period but those appear to be similar.
Coming into this winter I loathed the treadmill with the heat of a thousand suns. I have severe ADD and the mental stimulation of running outdoors is something that cannot be replicated while running on it.
I am no winter wimp mind you, I ran on countless days where temps were in the single digits with sub-zero wind chills. Those numbers are actually staggering!
I ran during snow storms, high winds, through slush and snow, and across ice. There comes a point though where running outside was completely impractical and/or unsafe and for those days the treadmill became my only option.
Because of my training and racing goals I thus viewed it as a necessary evil and ran easy on it, reluctantly did speed work on it, and ran on consecutive days and consecutive weeks on it. I did everything but run long on it and that was because I had other options for that (thank the heavens!).
Heading into spring and leaving one of the worst winters in my life behind however, I now view it simply as necessary. Very necessary! For without it, I would be starting from square one at this point.
So for all my bitching and constant whining about having to run on the stupid thing, I hereby declare a new found perspective, respect and appreciation for it.
No I will never love it, and may still hate running on it. But I will never, ever hate it again.
Great job keeping up with your training during the winter! That is going to make such a difference for your spring racing.
For me, it's the opposite. This winter was the winter that I learned to suck it up and run outside even if it's dark, raining, or cold. I only ran on the TM when there wasn't safe footing outside. Now, my cold isn't the same as your cold, granted, but I ran through all kinds of stuff that would have forced me inside last year.
So for me:
Jan 1 - Mar 22, 2014: 3 TM runs, 35.1 total TM miles
Jan 1 - Mar 22, 2013: 16 TM runs, 103 total TM miles
December is closer to the same, because last December we had that monster snow attack that didn't melt.
December, 2013: 7 TM runs, 51.5 TM miles
December, 2012: 10 TM runs, 54.4 TM miles
I had about the same number of runs, but a bit more mileage this year. That surprises me, given how cold and icy it was this year, but I also know that any day that wasn't absolutely frigid I was outside.
January 1 - March 22 I had 21 tm runs last year, 22 this year, 83 miles last year, 127 this year.
Uffda
I didn't calculate 2012-2013 winter, but I think I had more miles and a few more times on the TM in 2013-2014 just due to having a faster start to the year. I took it pretty easy at the beginning of 2013, missing many of my LRs on the weekends that would have had to be on the TM.
Stats for the 2013-2014 winter period:
114 TM runs for 849.5 miles
- Andrew
delicate flower
Nice work, treadmillers. *high five* Sometimes you hop on the machine and just sigh/exhale, then hit the start button. Those miles tick away so painfully slow sometimes. I ran a ton of TM miles this past winter. If I ever need to log that many again I'll be smart about incorporating more hill workouts. Hey, we're constantly learning.
My last winter of training was two years ago (knee blowup last winter). I didn't appreciate how mild that winter was. 4 out of every 5 runs was outdoors. We just didn't get any snow. I can tolerate cold, but I'm not running on snow and ice.
I've logged 303 treadmill miles and 250 outdoor miles this year. I'll take that over being laid up for five months with a broke-ass knee.
<3
Don't have the mileage total, but here is # of runs on treadmill, of total runs:
2014: 43 of 70 (61%)
2013: 10 of 42 (24%)
So 2014 treadmill runs > 2013 total runs
I am surprised the 2014 % is not higher, there were long stretches where I seemingly had only one outside run per week - I always made a point to get the LR outside, and some of those were pretty rough.
That said, I have mentioned previously that I made my peace with the treadmill this winter. I still don't love it, but I pretty much got used to it, and it helped me get a lot more miles than ever before
Dave
Last year I wasn't tracking my indoor runs specifically as TM or indoor track - I just put them under "untitled route," so I don't have figures. But I know it doesn't come close to the 120 miles on the indoor track and 150 on the TM I've run since Jan. 1.
20,000 miles behind me, the world still to see.
26.2 miles. That's the number of miles I've run outside since December 8th 2013.
EDIT: I forgot to compare to last year. Last year, I ran a one mile, 10k and a marathon all on the same weekend of January 18th-19th. So I actually ran outside less this year. Like the rest of you!
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
Rick,
Ain't nothing wrong with running on the hamster wheel.....just so long as you're watching Michigan/Texas at this current moment in time.
Randy
I wish I would have tracked it. Last winter I ran 2 runs on the TM. This winter has been much higher - at least half my runs were probably indoors (Indoor track 2x a week for speedwork at a minimum, but often the snow/cold had me doing some easy runs indoors too)
For me, it's the opposite. This winter was the winter that I learned to suck it up and run outside even if it's dark, raining, or cold.
Yes, it has taken a lot to get me off the street this year (like impassable sidewalks!), I am not sure if that was the case for last year. And I have definitely learned a ton about winter running this year. A crap ton!
Drew, your TM totals are sick, but so were some of the temps you had there!
Ginny, my goals are a bit loftier this year so my mileage is higher as a result as well.
You ladies with the indoor track are blessed!
lily, I would have gone absolutely insane..or maybe not.
Dave, I think the initial wave of snow and slush in early December through earl January is when you were truly treadmill bound.
Boon, if and when you do hill workouts on the treadmill, ease into that sir. I do not care for running on an incline on the treadmill but YMMV.
Randy, I am not sure I can watch TV while on that stupid thing. I mean, I watch TV while I am on it, but I am not really watching TV while I am on it. Know what I mean?
I always record road miles and TM miles and typically put in more indoors during the Winter. This year for the 1st time in a long time I ran all of my miles outdoors. Even surviving one of our regions worst Winters it didn't keep me from getting in the miles. Even managed to get some sun on my legs. Speaking of Winter, it's back.
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
Speaking of Winter, it's back.
Sure seems it this morning what with a current temp of 13 and wind chill of 0!
Last year: none
This year: blizzard, tm, squall, tm, -126.7 degrees, tm.... lots of TM.
A little off/on topic.What treadmills do you use/recommend? I thought it might be a good time to shop for used TM.