Here in Ohio, it’s a given that every year people have heated debates about the use of treadmills. Because I guess people like to be opinionated in Ohio! If you’ve read my blog during the winter months at all, you’ll know I’m definitely “team treadmill”!
I was quite surprised that when a mom asked our running club for advice about buying a good treadmill brand. The answers she received were all about how she should run outside, buy some warm clothes and YakTraxs, and treadmills are evil. Seriously? Maybe a mom of a baby/toddler wants to take advantage of naptime and can’t leave the house during the day! Maybe you live in an area that is unsafe to run in the dark and you have no other time to run. There are lots of reasons a treadmill is a necessity for some people.
I’ve gotta say I’m probably a bit spoiled when it comes to our treadmill. It’s a high quality one that has lasted us many years now. It has over 10,000 miles on it! Although the unfinished basement is not the most glamorous of locations, it does have the following amenities:
- Convenient location! – Just a 10 min trip from my bed to the treadmill each morning, bathroom stop included.
- No dress code – Sports bra and shorts is my norm. Sure saves on laundry!!
- Unlimited entertainment! – choose from a movie (DVD), Netflix, TV or my fav – catch up on all of your TV shows on the DVR!
- Climate controlled – basement is a constant “slightly chilled” temp year round, and we have a large fan pointing at the treadmill for extra comfort.
- Close bathrooms – just up the stairs if you need a potty break. No pooping in the woods! (Alan, I say this for you!)
- Close snacks & drinks – also just up the stairs, anything you might need to fuel your run.
- Extra amenities – a well appointed “runners basket” near the treadmill with a towel, GU, BodyGlide, tissues, and lipbalm
- Hill training – My treadmill is tricked out and we can run incline AND decline!
So what’s not to love that set up? Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the winter here in Ohio. I love, love, love the snow on the ground.
But I do not love ice and snow at 5:30 am, which is when I run. If I had to wait until an outdoor run fit best into my schedule (daylight hours), I would not be a winter runner. Most cold weekend days, a friend is about the only thing that gets me outside to run. Yes I have YakTraxs, but still, no need for me to take a risk of falling and hurting myself in the dark. I’m treadmilling it.
I can totally understand if you have no access to a treadmill, or your treadmill is sadly located facing an empty wall… that would force me to run outside too. But until that happens, I’ll stick with the training tool that works for me.
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So there you have it. My thoughts for Thursday! [ oops, didn’t mean to rant 🙂 ] I do have a long run planned outside tomorrow. If I get brave enough to endure the elements. haha!
Q: Do you use the treadmill?
Q: If you do, is it just in the winter, or year round?
Treadmills are perfectly fine for training on. But there are always snobs. Some trail runners claim they could never run on boring roads as well. And heck, with the 2×4’s under the back of ours, it works great for doing Newton Hill simulation runs for Boston. And for the record, I don’t always poop in the woods!
I’ve heard stories about the woods…. just saying!! 😉
Love these feisty posts!!!! I HATE the treadmill! BUT that is my personal opinion. I have to drive to the gym to use it with limited entertainment. It is possible if I had one at home in which I could watch whatever TV I wanted to, I may like it. MAY. But it doesn’t even matter because it’s to each his own. If someone likes the treadmill or needs the convenience, then great! If people hate it and want to brave the elements, great! Just do YOU. Seriously there are more important things to fight about. 🙂
Okay, there is ONE treadmill thing I don’t get, and tell me if I’m wrong. I know people that do pretty much all of their speedwork/tempo runs on treadmills. I don’t understand that because I think for the race you should know how to maintain/feel those paces on your own and do some of those speed runs outside if you intend to race. Do I have a point here?
Megan @ Meg Go Run recently posted…Happy Birthday, Daddio! (The Large and Growly Bear)
Well, I will be nice because it’s your Dad’s birthday (Happy b-day Meg’s Dad!) – just kidding, no reason not to be nice! I also do a majority of my speedwork on the treadmill. It keeps you at a pace so you do get used to what it feels like, regardless if you’re running on the treadmill or outside. It does get your body trained (cardio wise) to run faster, and then you still need to work on the pacing skill outside. So that part is true – good point! Which is why I make an effort to do my long runs outside, since they are done usually during the weekend when it’s light out.
I am a treadmill fan, too! I don’t exactly prefer it to running outside but it definitely has its perks!! Like you, I run very early in the morning. I am not at all comfortable running outside in the dark by myself, especially on snow and ice. I will take the treadmill and Netflix any day! 🙂
Our neighborhood has lights, but still, I’m all about making it easy on myself. When else am I going to catch up on my TV shows??
The treadmill IS NOT my first choice by any means. But as a single mom of a little one who already takes advantage of neighbors and friends for work, it’s hard to ask for babysitting for a run. And when I get up at 4 am to run, the answer to going outside (for safety reasons – I live in the city) is nope and nope. So I “use” the treadmill as a tool to get me to where I need to be and SO APPRECIATE the times I can get outside.
Agreed – it’s a great tool to have available!! I’m pretty sure I would trip outside in the dark, or slip on the ice. If I don’t run in the early morning, I just don’t have the motivation to do it later.