I like running on the treadmil (Gasp!)

Hi Friends

I am on to graduating Week 7 of my running regimen. Just in time for the weather to turn cold rainy and gross (not today which is a very nice 65 degrees and sunny--perfect for tonight's festivities--more on that later).

My work out Tuesday was this, and I quote:

Today you are going to try something different. Go to a school track or a trail
in your area (hee hee hee) that you have measured. Warm up with vigorous walking
for 10 minutes then jog 2x1 mile repeats...

Apparently these fine folks didn't anticipate a Minnesotan training near daylight savings time in October. Sorry, but it gets dark at about 430pm and this mama isn't going any where near a trail or an unlit high school track. Na-ah. No way.

So my only option is to go up to mini-mall fitness center and brave the treadmill. I was frightened of this unavoidable situation for various reasons, a few being:

• Falling off the treadmill.


• Sweating all over the place.


• Setting the speed too fast and being to proud to slow it down.


• Having the super fit hot chick/or dude next to me do the same workout and not sweat all over the place.

To name a few.

Well anywho, I had no choice but to go up to the fitness place to get this all important work out in. I wasn't about to skip it. I am very proud to say I have only missed ONE workout during this whole 7 almost 8 week regimen due to Super Kid's birthday (I do have priorities). So that's walking/jogging every day except for Friday's and Monday's which are required rest days.

So there.

I enter in the gym and it's it's usual quiet self, except for the clanking of the weights and the treadmills. I nervously walk up to the only open one. I am sandwiched in between two older gentlemen who are walking fast, but I do note that once they saw me, they started going faster. Whatever, I'm just going to do my thing and try not to fall off.

I should probably take a minute to explain the reason why I am nervous about falling off these things. If you know me at all you know the answer. Yours truly is a little uncoordinated. Little meaning a lot. So for me to step onto a moving object, try to look graceful, and watch a tv that is about 5 inches above my forehead is a little undaunting for me. It's either watch the tv or watch myself running in the huge floor to ceiling mirror. Ah, no thanks.

Getting back to the story, I step on the treadmill and start walking. No problems so far, I've walked on a treadmill a billion times. After the warm-up, I now have to make the thing go faster to start jogging. I go a little bit at a time. A little bit more. One more time. K, now I'm at a comfortable jogging speed. And there you have it! I did it! For the next two miles or whatever it was, I am jogging at a good pace, not sweating too much (I don't think anyway), can still keep my breath, and not a single time did I feel like I was going to fall off. Yeah me. I actually liked it because it keeps track of your time/speed/distance for you, right in front of you. So I don't have to rely on my cell phone stop watch or worry about a silly dog dodging out in front of me or the wind or rain! It's great!

I am onto week 8, my last week, I can't believe I actually went thru with this whole thing. Husband asked me what I was going to do after I was done with the 8 weeks and I honestly don't have any idea. Maybe I'll start training for a 10k...maybe.

Happy Halloween to all.