Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Running Words I Hate

TREADMILL and SPEEDWORK….not necessarily in that order and particularly if they would ever happen to be combined in the same sentence. That would be horrible!

So it is interesting that the past couple weeks have brought me to the point of trying to combine these two miserable words in my running repertoire. Seriously.

The tread(DREAD)mill??? Well, I’ve found that it has its place in my life when extra time is lacking and kids are sleeping (I hear you can get in trouble for leaving young kids along unattended, eh??) It used to be an old friend of mine back in my early running days when I didn’t have the guts to venture outside much where the *real* runners were. God forbid, I might actually be seen running. Now that I actually like it when people I know comment on having seen me running down the street, the treadmill has become a dusty piece of equipment in my garage. Using it bores me to tears, unless there is a good episode of The Office or Oprah on TV while I’m pounding away.

But time and schedule crunches in the past few weeks – combined with my commitment to myself that I WILL get short runs done during the week – have made the dreadmill a trusty companion. We’re not in love, by any means – but we tolerate each other for the sake of the kids. You know – the ones sleeping upstairs while we rendezvous in the garage. I am learning a whole new respect for my dear dreadmill – I hope it’s not just a fling.

And because time has definitely been of the essence – enter the other painful word from my running mental block: Speedwork.

Speedwork has never really been a priority of mine, because well…let’s face it – when you only have one speed (i.e. slow) how does it really work? I hated the prospect of actually having to push myself faster (oh, one of my running buddy's eyes are burning right now….) because it just might require a bit more effort on my part. Oh.The.Tragedy. (yes, I am a slug)

But I have learned in the past couple weeks that when one only has 30 minutes to run, the kids are sleeping upstairs and Hubs isn’t home yet, that these two grossly obscene words come together quite nicely and make a pretty decent workout. Desperate times cause for desperate measures (translate: short on time = better run faster!)

And the bonus? I actually feel like I have done something different, pushed myself a bit harder, left my comfort zone, and gotten in a decent run where otherwise I would have just been laying in bed dreaming about running.

I love me some speedwork on the dreadmill!!!

(Don’t quote me ~ I’ll deny ever saying such a horrendous thing)

And don’t laugh at my speediness – keep in mind this is Pokey-Style-Speedwork (not to be confused with actual speedwork done by a non-slowpoke runner)


I can’t wait to get back on the dreadmill tonight!!


(GASP! Someone please begin an intervention…..)


Happy Running!


ORN: Dreadmill Run ~ 1 mile at 5.0; .5 mile at 5.5; .5 mile at 6.0 (smokin!!); .3 mile walk/cool down ~ Total short workout: 2.3 miles

13 comments:

Mel-2nd Chances said...

great job finding the positive, and making it work! you are a real runner, whether you're on the dreadmill or outside :)

Aka Alice said...

You're not alone...I actually ONLY do speedwork with Dread...I find it keeps me distracted. 30 minutes at one speed is almost unbearable...30 minutes doing speed intervals...much better.

RunningNan said...

That is something that I need to do.. Speedwork!

Unknown said...

The treadmill gets a bad rap sometimes. I've found it is valuable in two ways - it helped me learn how to keep a consistant pace and it is great for speed or hill intervals. Here in Phoenix, it's almost impossible to find a good place to do hill intervals without driving all over the place, and I don't have a track nearby to use for speedwork.

Just think of the treadmill as a tool to make you a better runner.

Pat said...

keeping a higher pace up for half a mile is pretty good. Hope you ran with the garage door up, so that the neighbors can see how dedicated you are.

J~Mom said...

Ahhhh...warms my heart! I bet you will find that you knock serious time off of your next 5k if you keep that up.

Viv said...

Loving the masthead, don't know if I missed it on my last visit. LOL! I thought the same thing on speedwork, hello I run the same speed all the time I feel like I can't breathe. Anywhooo great job on jumping on the DM and getting it done! I bet you burned mega calse and the Pokes speed is running at a higher velocity :-)

Wes said...

Me too, Pokey. Me too. Stay off the treadmill and work on how fast I can drink a beer. I'm SO out of shape :-)

Nat said...

Well done. I am sitting on my ass eating girl guide cookies. My excuse a flu shot.

Seriously, I have done my fast 5Ks that way. ) 0.1 increments at a time. :)

I need a plan and I need speedwork. Because you're going to run me over with the van if I don't speed up a touch.

Unknown said...

I can't stand the treadmill, but it's a little more interesting for me when I do intervals on it. So yeah, speedwork on teh treadmill isn't so bad...

Carly said...

Hi Pokey! I am glad you are back and glad your son is doing better. Sound like the running is coming along nicely too. I am with you...I also hate the treadmill and speedwork.

Jeff said...

Speedwork? Isn't that like run for 10 minutes, walk for 2 minutes. Repeat.

Calyx Meredith said...

I am soooo with Jeff on the definition of speedwork - so way to go Pokey!!