Taking the Dread out of Treadmill | Tuesdays on the Run

Confession: I’m one of those weirdos who actually enjoys running on a treadmill. I mean, what’s not to love? The weather is always perfect, there’s no need to layer up, carry tons of water, or slather on sunscreen, you don’t have to worry about traffic, and there’s a bathroom in close proximity. Sounds like perfect winter running gear to me!

Okay, a treadmill is not gear. Technically. But seeing as how today’s topic for the Tuesdays on the Run blog link up hosted by My No Guilt Life, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and MCM Mama Runs is favorite winter gear, I’m calling it mine. So for some tips on how to take the DREAD out of treadmill, read on!

Of course, I feel inclined … get it??? Inclined? Okay, that was horrible, but when it comes to treadmill running, safety comes first. I’ve learned this the hard way by almost crashing into the wall after missing a step about a month before the 2016 Dopey Challenge. So yes, that safely clip is annoying … and I get BEYOND IRKED whenever I accidentally knock off the magnetic emergency stop button, but that’s better than being body slammed!

So okay. The tips. Let’s get to it!

Do Double Duty

While music is awesome, I make my treadmill workouts more productive by watching informative YouTube videos about writing, blogging, vlogging, or life planning. An exercise mind and body type of thing.

And if you’re training for a runDisney event, create a YouTube playlist prior to working out full of race recaps. This way, they will continually play while you’re running and you’ll be bombarded with lots of awesome motivation! Here’s recaps from our channel:

• WDW Marathon Weekend
• Princess Half Marathon
• Tinker Bell Half Marathon
• Disneyland Half Marathon
• Wine & Dine Half Marathon

Bonus: If you’re training for a winter runDisney race, you’ll be better acclimated to heat by occasionally running on the treadmill!

Have a TV show you’re only allowed to watch…

… while on treadmill. Mine usually are of chic lit nature, stuff my husband doesn’t want to watch. For a particularly difficult 20 mile pre-Dopey run, I also made things more tolerable by finally watching the live action Cinderella movie Bob picked up for me from Red Box. Try to keep your phone or TV at eye level, however, (I used a tripod for this,) so you’re not looking down. Even the slightest head tilt can throw off your form.

And then there was my Harry Potter marathon during 2016 Dopey Challenge training…

Work it!

Yes, videos, podcasts, and Netflix are wonderful, but don’t fall into the just trod along trap. Make your workout count by following a treadmill workout plan.  Here’s some awesome treadmill workouts at self.com. Actress Minka Kelly shared her favorite routine that’s pretty kick-butt:

• 1 minute at 5.0
• 1 minute at 5.5
• 1 minute at 6.0
• 1 minute at 6.5
• 1 minute at 7.0
• 1 minute at 7.5
• 1 minute at 8.0
• 2 minutes at 4.5
• Repeat five times.

Throw in some incline and that’s a workout. There are also various apps such as Lolo’s BeatBurn Treadmill Trainer that changes the beat of your music to match your pace.

Record Your Thoughts

If you’re a writer or notorious list-keeper like me, you might get your best thoughts and ideas while doing tasks like house cleaning, driving, or running. I often pull double duty by using a Recorder App to dictate blog posts, vlog ideas, and novel thoughts while running. I might sound breathy, but getting more content down is always a good thing!

Post Its are Wonderful

Okay, I’ve been teased about this before after sharing photos, but if I’m forced to do a long run inside, I up my motivation ante by putting a Post-It note on my treadmill for each mile. It’s so great getting down to that last one!

(Are you trying to recognize the movie? It’s Pitch Perfect 2.)

QOTD: What tricks are up your compression sleeves to make running on a treadmill more enjoyable?

Happy (treadmill) running, and have a joyful day!