Milling About

How do you know if a treadmill is for you? I strongly recommend that you use one frequently before going out and buying one. Who among us doesn’t have a piece of home exercise equipment that accumulates dust more than it does usage? If you think regularly using a treadmill might be for you, join a health club for a month. See what it’s like to run on a treadmill a few times a week. Be honest with yourself about whether you’ll continue to do so after you’ve put down some pretty serious bucks to have one in your home.
Here are some ways to beat boredom on treadmills:

• Watch the TV news or your favorite sitcom. Next thing you know (you hope), half an hour is up.
• Listen to motivational music.
• Don’t stare at the console—the time will pass more slowly if you do.
• Break your run into segments of various lengths and paces rather than one long haul at the same pace on the same grade.
• Have a friend run “with” you on an adjacent treadmill. Runners of vastly different ability can run side by side on treadmills.
• Run in front of a mirror to monitor your form.
• Visualize yourself out on your favorite running route. Imagine where you would be on that route 10 minutes into your run, 20 minutes into your run, and so on.

Also, if you have a treadmill at home, put inspirational posters or pictures nearby. Just do something so that you’re not always staring at a wall! If you have a treadmill in your home, don’t stick it in that musty corner of your basement. You’re just not going to be motivated to get on it a lot that way. Create as pleasant a setting as you can. Ann Trason, who has the women’s world record for 100K (that’s 62.1 miles!), has her treadmill near a window that overlooks a grassy hill. Also, putting the treadmill near a window gives you the chance to breathe some fresh air during your run, so at least you’re not foregoing all the benefits of running outdoors. If you can’t be near a window, try to have a fan nearby to keep the air circulating. You’re probably going to sweat more on a treadmill because there’s not the wind resistance that you encounter outside. So keep a towel handy.