It is huge. It is ugly. So heavy that we needed neighbor to help us to bringing into the house… But, men, I love it.
Some years ago, I really enjoyed running on the treadmill. Getting up in the morning and being in gym before 6 AM when they were opening door. Then morning run for an hour. Maybe little bit longer. And then work. I always was choosing same treadmill. Setting speed and watching netflix on my mobile. I could just go… I really enjoyed it. Couldn’t understand how running on the treadmill could be boring for anyone. I know that you were running in the same spot for long but it was running. Then you could always watch movies, listen to music and don’t stop for traffic. What was really great, at least, for me was that control which you had when was running on treadmill. You were setting running speed as you wanted. So easy to train intervals, uphills, sprints. When doing recovery run there was no chance that on some point you will start to run faster and completely waste recovery session. I think that for me treadmill is a tool to get you better at running. And I like it when gym staff was referring to me as ‘our gym hamster’ 😉
Back to present days. That huge machine in my office is a NordicTrack Commercial 1750. Entry level treadmill with commercial in name. But I wouldn’t called commercial treadmill which is best suited to be used for up to 30 hours a week. Don’t get me wrong. It is great treadmill but commercial in name is little bit too much. Ok, stop whining. Good stuff now. Up to 24 km/h speed, incline from 15% down to decline of 3%. You can simulate all types of runs. You name it and you can get it. There is tablet build in. So, easier to get all the stats during and after the workout. Bluetooth build in so you can connect your headset. Fans with preset values and additionally with automatic setting (I think that is working in addition to speed set during workout). With latest firmware upgrade there is now possibility to connect bluetooth heart monitor to get accurate reading (not only one from handles, but this thing is there as well). Additionally we got 1 year subscription for iFIT. Very expensive service but if you getting this for free then why not. With iFIT service you are getting access to all kind of exercises, classes, workouts. You could run even whole Boston Marathon with all those hills on the way and treadmill will simulate whole route. What else? You can create your own exercises. Set by distance, time, speed and my favorite by map. So, you are using Google Maps to set were you would run your virtual run. And then see Google Map Street View on tablet. So, I like treadmill and with all those additional perks I love it. I know that after one year when membership will expire Google Maps will disappear and all exercises would need to be set during run manually (not preset in iFIT application) but I will still be running on treadmill.
There are other advantages which comes with treadmill but that is really just down to me. I hate to cross streets when running outside. It is just stopping me or at least forcing me to change my pace. I always love to have everything pre-planned: route, every turn. And then… traffic is preventing you from crossing the street, there is too many people on the footpath and wind is in your face. And of course there is that – winter. Cold outside, in the morning is dark, in the evening is dark. And doing speed training with base layers, head lamp (living now in the sticks) and all highviz. Oh, and weather on the west side of Ireland is bad. And on the treadmill I don’t need this at all. Can just get my shoes, short sleeves and of I go on a run… I know that you should run outside as much as you can but for now at least it will be treadmill. I know that my running coach is not as kin on running only on treadmill but that is easier for me to control training pace…
So, that is why I love running on the treadmill. Fell in love couple years ago and ‘feeling’ is still there. Maybe I will run once whole marathon on the treadmill.