Treadmill running: a post from another runner

Since there are 11 of us that are authors on this blog, you would think that we could manage to have a daily post, right? That would be only 3 posts/month each. Sadly, Ryan is the only one it seems who is posting 3 times per month (sometimes). I thought I would give him a little back-up. :-)

(And on a side note, anyone interested in maybe taking 3 days/month, so we can up the activity on this blog?)

I do most of my runs outside. I will avoid running on treadmill even in freezing temperatures and blinding snow. I typically just can't get over the monotony of running "in place." It drives me insane! GAH! Well, recently, I did two runs on the treadmill. The first was one of our first cold days after some really nice mild weather, and it was dark outside, and I just wasn't feeling running in the cold and dark. So I thought I would give the ol' 'mill a try. The second was during some really steady, freezing-cold rain. Blah. My least favorite running condition (well, in the same category with hail or sleet, probably). It is just so miserable to run in cold rain. I'd rather it be 10 degrees colder and snowing.

Both times, I managed 6 miles on the treadmill, but I think that I've determined that's my limit (or very near to it) before I die of boredom! Okay, yes, I'm being a little dramatic here, and I suppose if I had no other choice, I could probably run further on the treadmill, but I wouldn't like it. (Then there's my friend, Krit, who does almost all her running on the treadmill, including a 21-miler. Yikes!) Anyway, a few things I've learned:

1. If someone is running on the treadmill next to me, I find it easier to keep running. Must be something about the other person's running chi or something. It motivates me.
2. Good music helps tremendously. I tried listening to my ipod, but I got too sweaty and the earbuds slipping out (gross, right?). I need to get some of those headphones that hook over the ear if I want to do treadmill running.
3. Body Glide!
4. The best way for me to make it through multiple miles on the treadmill is to keep changing things: speed up, slow down, change the incline. It's much easier to say, "I'm going to run for 5 minutes at this pace" than to think of 45 minutes of "blah" ahead of me.