Saturday, July 29, 2006

Another reason why I hate treadmills...

I have been posting like a fiend lately! Well, I am posting again today because I just got back from the gym and I am mad. So I have been trying to do multiple runs within 24-hour periods. So last night I did 4 miles and this morning 5 (both would have been longer runs if the heat index hadn't been above 100). I decided to do another 5 miler at the gym today on the treadmill, escaping the heat and all. But the treadmill bores me to tears, even with the TV. So I do hill intervals. Fun times!

Anyways, what happens is that in the resting period between "hills" when the treadmill goes back down to 0%, I usually end up crowding the front of the treadmill since I am still sort of pushing as if I was running uphill. Today, about three miles into the run, it went back down to 0%, I crowded the front, and my hand whacked the "STOP" button. This is not the first time this has happened to me. And it drives me crazy! The hill routine has a long warmup period, so getting back into it is not a trivial matter. Yeah, yeah, I am totally Whiney McWhine-a-lot today.

Well, on the plus side, the fact that I am doing three runs within in a 24 hour period means that my hamstring is doing amazingly better. I really think that my massage therapist Susan must sacrifice goats or something to get magical powers. Last fall when I had my calf issues, I think if I had gone to her when the problem started, instead of seeing the doctor and physical therapist, that I could have still run Chicago. Apparently the hamstring problem is more in the back of my knee, so she worked that pretty well and, since she worked on it, I have mostly been running with only minor achiness. I mean, I still feel it when running up hills but my hamstring is no longer spasming when I run. So there is hope! But I am still slow as molasses - my fastest pace since I returned from being away has been 10:32. Even in FL I was running 10 minute miles. I am not sure what the heck is up with this. I am shifting blame as much as possibly and saying it is because of the heat. Yeah, the heat. That sounds convincing... It surely can't be me being lazy!

1 comment:

ButterPeanut said...

funny you should say that, because I'm worried that I;m turning into a treadmill wuss -- I get so bored running 5 miles outside (granted, it's mega suburbia) that I have to be watching a movie or something while I run now. Also, it's hot as duck.