Two Runs That Just Clicked

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This weekend’s runs have just clicked.

Yesterday, 4 miles with the New York Junior League Run Club. I’ve been a handful of times and always have a fun time when I go. Yesterday, someone asked me if there were pace groups. “Nah,” I said, “we just kind of naturally fall into pace groups.”

We took off together and ended up staying in the lead the whole time. I wasn’t trying to run fast, so it was a nice feeling to be ahead of everyone else. It’s moments like that when I want to pinch myself to remind myself that just a few years ago, I could barely run a mile.

I missed a tempo earlier this week, so today’s run was 7: 2 to warm up, 5 at half goal pace.

I woke up congested from my heater (I know, I need to use a humidifier) and couldn’t get motivated in the morning and then was busy all afternoon.

I’m not rooting for either team in the Super Bowl, so I decided to hit the treadmill and get some work done tonight instead of going to a party. After having had plans the last three nights in a row, I was more than okay with a night at home.

That run wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t supposed to be. Mentally, the idea of seven miles on the treadmill was daunting and so was the pace (8:34.) After the 2-mile warm-up, I was already ready to get off, so I just kept resetting it. 2 miles, 2 miles, 1.5, 1.5…and done. The pace wasn’t easy but once I got going it was only difficult mentally.

How do you make treadmill running less awful? What’s the longest you’ve ever run on a treadmill?

22 comments on “Two Runs That Just Clicked

  1. Cate

    Great job getting your runs in this weekend! I like to do my intervals on the treadmill to keep me entertained. I think the farthest I’ve gone on a treadmill is six. I’m not sure I could do much more!

    Reply
  2. Clare @ Fitting It All In

    Ohh you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I’ve run 17! I really can’t handle the cold so most of my marathon training was done on a treadmill.
    I learned to love it – sure it gets boring, but you can find some good TV! And benig so close to a bathroom and not freezing your butt of are major perks.

    Reply
  3. Jen @ Jens Best Life

    Lately I’ve been able to zone in somehow on the treadmill. The first mile still sucks, but after that I somehow am able to get all zen and ignore the fact that nothing is happening around me. The longest I’ve done is 4 miles, though. I’m not sure I could do 7!

    I do think having a good playlist is key. I have to mix it up a lot more when I run on a treadmill than when I’m running outdoors.

    Reply
  4. Cathryn

    I’ve done 6 miles on the treadmill and that was enough!! However I have decided that when I next live somewhere less gentle in terms of climate than California, I’ll be investing and embracing a treadmill…they are useful things sometimes.

    Reply
  5. Chrissy

    Treadmill running is painful…I’ve been playing Treadmill Roulette from carrotsncake.com. It saved me this winter!

    Reply
  6. Barbara

    Great job getting in your runs!

    I remember when doing half an hour on the treadmill felt like so long! Now, I generally keep my treadmill runs to an hour (8 miles) and anything longer I run outside. I like to mix it up with intervals and a good playlist. With this cold the past few weeks, I had to get in one of my Boston training runs inside (15 miles – 2 hours! ughhh ) and it was so horribly boring I’m not really sure how I got through it.

    Reply
  7. Ashley

    The longest I’ve ever run on a treadmill is 5 miles. I truly hate treadmill running, but as the winter drags on, it’s getting to the point where I have no choice. I try to keep it interesting with music and television at the gym, but after a while I have to take a break and keep resetting it so my mind does focus on the distance. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t.

    Reply
  8. June

    i am training for NYC half right now, and living in Nebraska so lately the weather has had me having to do my long runs on the treadmill. this past saturday it was 9 miles. and with another winter storm expected to hit us saturday, guess i might be doing 10 on there. 10 is the longest. to date. btw where is the best pizza/italian (that doesnt cost an arm and a leg) near CP? I am staying at the Salisbury. Thanks!!!

    Reply
  9. Ashley @ Running Bun

    The longest I ran was 13 miles and it was my first long run of NYC Marathon training. So long ago. Never again. When I need to run shorter stints on the TM at home, I watch Netflix on my Kindle! 45 min episode of Gossip Girl and the run is over πŸ™‚

    Reply
  10. Gianna

    I’ve made it through 13 on the treadmill before. Definitely dull but it is usually because the alternative – bad weather – is too daunting. I actually like the treadmill when doing intervals some times helps me stay on pace versus always staring at my Garmin outside – but then again those runs are usually 4-5 miles and don’t last very long.

    Reply
  11. Sandy

    I’ve only done 8 on the treadmill and even that was a killer! I’ve found that making a game out of it is also super helpful to getting the mileage done- like every two minutes putting the incline up a bit or changing the pace by .1 every minute, either like a triangle or just up and down. I also love pushing myself at the end to sprint it out!

    All in all, long runs on the treadmill…SUCK. Running outside will always win (even in this nyc crazy weather)

    Reply
  12. Maureen

    My longest on the treadmill is just under 6.25 (I think it was 6.23 to be exact). I usually try to incorporate speed or hill work into my treadmill runs to keep from losing my mind. Doesn’t always work, but it helps a lot.

    Reply
  13. Kashi @ Cape Island Runners

    ugh, the treadmill. not my favorite. but it does save you in a pinch, so there is that! last winter there was a storm on a weekend i had to do 10 miles one day and 12 the other. I did both runs on the treadmill and they were both terrible. One was a little less so because my friend joined me and we chatted the miles away from our respective machines. If not for him ,I am pretty sure I would have lost my mind on that second day!

    Reply
  14. Caitlin

    That’s awesome that you were able to get in all those miles on the treadmill. You go girl. And that feeling you mentioned of having to pinch yourself because year’s ago you couldn’t even run 3, that’s the best feeling isn’t it? There’s no better way to recognize how far you’ve come and how amazing you are. Congrats. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  15. Meghan

    The longest I’ve done on a treadmill was 12, and it was awful. I don’t know how to make a long run less awful, so I don’t really do them on treadmills. I’ll have to check the comments for tips. And I wish I hadn’t gone to our Super Bowl party last night. I didn’t care a lick about the game, and I had such a busy weekend that I should have just stayed at home. I guess you live and you learn.

    Nice job on being in the lead. Sometimes I, too, have to pinch myself when I see my paces on longer runs and remember that I just started the couch to 5k a little less than 2 years ago! Crazy what our bodies can do when we put our minds to it, huh?

    Reply
  16. Melissa

    I have a really hard time making treadmill runs interesting. I can really only do 4-5 before I die of boredom. I also need something really motivating for after, like laying out by the pool.

    Reply

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