Treadmill Friend or Foe

Let me just start that I use to be a hater. Until this past year, I rarely had my butt on a treadmill. The thought of treadmill running was enough to make me what to quit running altogether. I have a girlfriend that would tell me of doing most her miles on her at home treadmill while kids were sleeping or watching TV. I understood where she was coming from but I could never get myself to do it. How a year changes things!! I have become a treadmill convert out of necessarity not preference.

We in the Southeast have had a very HOT spring. Temps & humidity that you don't usually have to deal with until July/August which has put me on the treadmill more than I would like but I am becoming okay with it. Almost like it takes some stress out of logistics such as water drops and driving to/from trails.

Today is very HOT and I am will be on the treadmill for both runs today as I need to recover quickly for my long run tomorrow and over heating on a easy run on pushes recovery out so I am becoming good friends with treadmill this summer with an old foe.

Yesterday I had to my progression run on the treadmill run and it started out a bit rocky as I had done my warm-up outdoor on the road. It was 82 and 77% humidity @9AM so when I came indoors for the workout my body was already overheated and depleted. Luckily I was able to get my body going by mile 2 into the progression run.

Here is the workout

2 mile w/u, strides, 7 mile Progression, 1 mile c/d

7:40, 7:30, 7:19, 7:08, 7:03, 6:53, 6:40

Those last 2 miles were tough. Phewy - felt good to be done with this workout. Hips held up great so I think I can say goodbye to fretting over them for the time being.

Coach did tell me that if I catch a cool day at my next race..he expects I will have a great breakthrough race :-) The heat is hiding lots of my fitness gains.

Nick and I spent a good deal of time discussing a relo back to the Pacific Northwest which is exciting to me. His career just can't grow as it could if we were back in Seattle. He is not being challenged as Charlotte is not a technical hub that Nick thrives in. Me, oh my, to have year-around great running weather and many places & people to run with. In fact, the town we use to live in had a rails to trails (soft surface)that went endlessly into the mountains. I use to run it all the time but at the time didn't realize the value of this trail. Plus within driving distance, there are several other trail & greenways systems. Seattle and the burbs are very active and I am sure I could find more supportive and cohesive running community. This probably won't happen this year but maybe this time next year but it something to look forward too and to know I only have to make it through one more summer will go a long way to gut it out.