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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Treadmill Tales

Please make it stop.  How many days below zero?  47? 48?  Needless to say, I have become quite familiar with the treadmill this winter.  I don't own a treadmill, so I've been spending a lot of time at my local gym.  The gym is a weird place.  Here are just a few of the oddities:

  • Every Tuesday morning I run next to a guy who insists on running on the treadmill backwards. Not only does he run backwards, but he sets the incline as high as it will go, then runs backwards up on his tip toes.  This workout lasts for about 3 minutes, then it's back to skipping rope and rolling around on a giant beach ball.
  • On Thursday nights, I am surrounded by a group of people who hop on the treadmill and take orders from a pseudo drill sergeant, who with clipboard in hand barks out orders to his willing students to run from 0 to 9 mph for 90 seconds, then after a break, 10mph for 90 seconds and so on.  This stomping and huffing lasts for about 5 minutes before they retreat to the aerobics room for more senseless work outs.
  • I am within earshot of the weight room.  This particular gym is chocked full of muscle-bound, tattooed gentlemen.  Many of who insist on letting guttural screams every few "reps."  One fellow insists in letting out a very loud "TSAaaaa" every five seconds.  The weights then hit the floor, which feels like a small earthquake.  Lift, scream, repeat.  Maybe I should let out a primitive scream every time I run a mile at HM tempo pace.  
  • Had to share this second-hand story.  At a local gym, 4 people waited patiently for their run on the treadmill.  Why?  A woman was running on the treadmill, while she occupied two other treadmills with her Cockapoos!  Really?
So looking forward to spring!

Happy running,
Rick

2 comments:

  1. Except for the first (and last) bullet, I am that person!
    I've taken classes at Lifetime, where we would spend 55 minutes on the treadmill, with a trainer yelling at us to get into our HR zone.
    Lately, I've been the guy lifting heavy weights, yelling, and then dropping them.
    I can't wait to get back outside running again. It is much more fun.
    -Richard

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  2. Hi Richard, I feel trapped this winter. So many hours, days and weeks of below zero temps has really take their toll. Even the Wednesday night running crew have moved indoors several times this winter!

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