Category Archives: treadmill

Too Darn Hot, plus Treadmill Fiasco

0, 03mi, treadmill

Start Time: 6/28/08, 7:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:00min/mile
Total Miles For June: 57 miles

Start Time: 6/29/08, 7:00am
Location: Washington, DC
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 9:00min/mile
Total Miles For June: 60 miles

Ugh! Saturday was a dreadful day to be running; already in the high 80s by 7am, and even worse it was so humid it was like breathing water. We had our 3-mile time trial, and it went really badly for me, there no way around it. I completely bonked on the last mile, and I felt so congested and hard to breathe that I actually have a doctor’s appointment about it on July 7th. Hmph.

On Sunday I was going to run a few miles on the treadmill at Charlie’s place, because it was still really darn hot out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the air conditioning unit to work properly (argh) and it was so stiflingly hot I gave up after three miles. Ah well!

On the Road

0, 05mi, 06mi, travel, treadmill

Start Time: 6/24/08, 5:00pm
Location: Long Beach, CA
Distance: 5 miles
Average Pace: 8:57min/mile
Total Miles For June: 48 miles

Start Time: 6/26/08, 8:00am
Location: Long Beach, CA
Distance: 6 miles
Average Pace: 8:44min/mile
Total Miles For June: 54 miles

I was in Long Beach last week for a business trip, and while Long Beach is lovely (in places), the part I was in… not so much. So I ended up sticking with the treadmills, both times doing a progressive run where I just slowly pushed up the speed over time. A nice time, all in all. Not terribly scenic, but there you go.

Don’t Tread On Me

0, 08mi, treadmill

Start Time: 1/16/08, 6:30pm
Location: Gunston Community Center
Distance: 8 miles
Average Pace: 8:45min/mile

It was too cold out to attack the Custis Trail again, so this time I decided to seek out a treadmill—eight miles on an 1/8th-mile indoor track meant 64 laps, and surely by the end I would be dizzy and throw up. I finally went over to Gunston, which no one seems to know exists, and used their solitary treadmill. No one else wanted to use it while I was there (in fact only two other people were even there while I was!), so hey, works for me.

Treading water

0, 03mi, treadmill

Start time: 3/1/07, 7:30pm
Location: Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 9:15min/mile

Well, I was supposed to go running with the Pacers group again, but it had started to rain and was supposed to keep getting worse and wose. So, instead I went over to Barcroft and used one of their treadmills. I took the first mile a little slow (9:35), then the next two at a slightly faster pace (9:05 each). I’d have cheerfully run more, but there’s supposed to be a 24-minute time limit on the cardio equipment. Since I was at 27:45 and all the treadmills were in use, I decided to be nice and stop there. (Or before someone waiting complained and got me kicked out!)

I’m not a treadmill fan, but it sure beats running in the cold rain.

Once more into the breach

0, 03mi, 04mi, travel, treadmill

Start time: 2/17/07
Location: LAX Marriott Gym
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 11:00min/mile

Start time: 2/19/07
Location: LAX Marriott Gym
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 9:50min/mile

Well, after injuring myself on January 31st, it was time for a little rest. So, two and a half weeks later, I decided to give running another whirl. Even though the temperatures were nice outside in Los Angeles, I used the hotel gym for two reasons. First, that way if the injury returned I didn’t have to limp all the way back. Second, the further you head away from the hotel, the slightly sketchier it got. So, no running outside.

Saturday’s run went well; I wanted to take it easy so I did the first mile at a 12:00 pace, the next two at an 11:00, and the last at a 10:00. All with no problems, phew! Monday night I felt the need to work off some dinner, so it was two 10:00 miles and then (feeling brave) a 9:30. Still no problems. Yay! This Saturday I’ll run with my old pace group and pick up some longer mileage at a slightly slower pace. With any luck, the National Half Marathon is still on!

Two updates, 9 days apart

0, 03mi, 04mi, travel, treadmill

Start time: 02/18/06, 2:00pm
Location: Hotel Treadmill
Distance: 3.5 miles
Average pace: 9:31min/mile

Start time: 02/27/06, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:35min/mile

I totally forgot to post the one update from my vacation. In short, the area around the hotel stunk when it came to safely running so I stuck with a treadmill. I also should’ve stuck with not eating fast food an hour beforehand, which sat in my stomach like a ball of lead. My originally-planned 5-miler got cut a bit short, but better something than nothing.

Finally got back out and running today. Julie was sans allergy medicine (oops) and I could hear her huffing and puffing next to me. The week and a half off probably didn’t help either. I was originally going to knock out two extra miles afterwards, but my hamstrings were feeling tight, so another run cut short. Better safe than sorry, right?

This closes the month out with 45 miles; three less than January, but still more than February 2005. Not too bad.

Catching up

05mi, travel, treadmill

Start time: 02/20/05, 5:30pm
Location: Airtel Plaza Hotel treadmill
Distance: ~5+ miles
Average pace: ~11min/mile

The figures here are fuzzier than normal thanks to someone kicking out the power strip that my treadmill was connected to. Nice. I’m still amazed I didn’t go flying through the front of the machine when it lurched to a halt. I should’ve actually taken it as a cue to stop, in retrospect; my left calf was sore for a good day afterwards thanks to it being grumpy from several days of nothing but walking leading up to this.

Start time: 02/26/05, 9:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 8 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 4:1
Average pace: 12:30min/mile

Finally got back outside and running this morning with my friend Katie. The first half was at 12min/miles and under, but after refilling our water bottles at the community center Katie asked if we could slow down a bit; she was just dragging, so we downshifted a bit and chatted and jogged the rest in.