My Love Hate Relationship With My Treadmill

LOVE:

1) That it is there whenever I need it.

2) Great Mom saver----if kids are too little to leave alone for a quick run outside, you can still get your run in.

3) Great time saver---have to sneak in a run in between all other mommy activities; for example, throw something in the oven and run while it cooks.

4)  Inclement weather---NO PROBLEM.

5) It got me started. When I first started running with the couch 2 5 K program, the treadmill was the only way to go.  I remember the first time I ran 5 uninterrupted minutes and when I finally ran 30 minutes straight, you would have thought I won the lottery with all the "Whoop Whooping".  I was actually nervous to take the runs outside (what if someone saw me).

Hate:

1)  Having to determine the speed I am going to run---how do I know.  Why can't I let my body determine that?

2)  Having to run consistently----I do NOT run the same consistent speed through an entire run---in some places I pick it up and in others I need the recovery.

3)  Having to run the same elevation or manually determining elevation.  I love running a route/trail and hitting those hills (I even like the large ones)---they challenge me and going down those hills is the best recovery ever.

4)  The lack of stimulation.  I do not always run with an iPod, but I love running outside and having something to look at other than my neighbors backyard.  Yes, I set up the treadmill to face the TV--but that is still not as distracting as I hoped. 

5)  I can NEVER get in the zone on the treadmill---you know that place where you are running and you are "just doing it"--the legs are moving automatically---nothing hurts---and you just know that you could keep moving like this for as long as you need to.  Instead I hit a wall at 2 miles on the treadmill; it is the same distance it takes me to "warm up" outside, but unlike outside on the treadmill I loose all motivation.

6)  It is too easy to change your mind on the treadmill.  If I have a long run planned outside---I DO IT---where on the treadmill my mind begins drafting excuses/alternatives/compromises before I even step foot on the thing.

I am grateful for my treadmill, but I prefer to run outside whenever I can. 

Writing this post while staring out the window and trying to determine if it is raining too hard to run outside as planned or if I should hit the treadmill.