Treadmill or indoor track…
… which would you choose?
Today was my sixth run of the year, first one indoors… and first one with Kelly*!
Gah! We had not seen each other (to run or at all!) since December 18th and I felt SO off. Off because that meant I was doing a solo workout later in the day, and not starting my day feeling energized from a wake-up-and-go run. And also, SUPER off because Kelly is the friend I chat with most in person on a weekly basis, and not doing that (among several other things) was making me feel grumpy, and anti-social. Which made me not want to talk to anyone. When really, that is what would help my mood. Ahh, it’s a vicious cycle. Ha ha.
Anyway! We met for some miles at a local, inexpensive indoor (around .25 miles) track this am. And I was just thinking about what a nice option it is, for when running is so dangerous outside (I am more concerned about the sheet of ice covering the street in my neighborhood than the high of -1°F with a “feel” of -14°F or whatever today… but I do have to say, I was able to go farther indoors that I would have been, outdoors). I think I will be using it more this winter, since I actually have 17 weeks of speedwork planned out to get me ready for a goal 5K and half marathon, and I don’t want to slip on my behind while running repeats!
How about you? When it’s your definition of too dangerous to run outside, are you on the treadmill, hitting up an indoor track, taking a rest day or cross training?
We have a treadmill, but I don’t have the mental capacity to use it. Although I should! I could use the mental training.
*Don’t worry, I won’t annoy you with these stats all year-round! I hope not, anyway. Err…
Themocracy
I think if I had a buddy to run on the track with I would prefer that! But if I’m solo then it’s the treadmill.
I’m with you…I take it inside when it seems dangerous out there, not necessarily because of the temps! I think having a buddy to run with on the track would be nice, but I’m ok by myself too.
I ran half today with Kelly and the other half solo with music. It was kind of nice to zone out and not worry about traffic!
I have never run on an indoor track but would probably prefer that over the treadmill. Ice is the only thing that keeps me indoors, which we don’t get much of in Dixie! I wish I had a running buddy, but it is so hard to hook up that my runs are all solo.
Right now I’m not running as much, and I’m not registered for any races, so it’s a pretty easy decision not to run when it’s cold! I ran on Sunday when the sun was out and it was still in the 20s and there was fresh snow. But given that it’s dark when I get home from work, I haven’t been doing as much running during the week. The fitness center in our building has treadmills, but that aggravates my knee more than the road. I don’t know where I could run on an indoor track. So … good time for other workouts 🙂
How is your knee doing? Better?! 🙂
I will likely be indoors much more this year as the fear/risk of falling grows greater with the weather and growing belly. Ugh. I just don’t want to run in the dark and not know if there is black ice. I prefer the treadmill to the track at my Y for two reasons: I easily lose count and it’s a small track, less than a tenth of a mile, and the grading can be hard on the legs.
Yeah, Kelly and I were talking about running outside but with the roads mostly covered, it would be hard to tell where the ice was in the dark? Blah.
Oh gosh, yeah, sloped tracks really mess you up! Running on the road in the winter messes me up for the same reason – running in the camber of the road.
Arizona has good weather year round, you can work around the death heat in the summer and the chilly winters. So I avoid the gym and treadmill like the plague.
I run outside in the morning in the city no matter what the weather conditions (if too much snow, then I x-country ski). I have been pretty lucky running on ice with no major spills. However, I have taken spills on ice a few times when walking my dog! Anyway, at the gym at lunch I run outside again, unless it is say less than 10 degrees then it’s onto the TM. I use the TM not because I don’t like the temps, I simply just don’t want to pack all the necessary “cold weather gear” (e.g. layers/hat/balaklava/gloves) in my small gym bag. So, I use the TM basically because I’m too lazy to pack my gym bag with too much more than a shirt,shorts and shoes. However, every second on the TM, I’m dreaming of running outside! Yes, I love winter running. 🙂
Ha ha! I know you love it! The cold is so refreshing, right? And with the snow, everything is so peaceful and quiet! But it sure is nice not to have all that gear in my laundry basket this am, like you said! 🙂
I’m happy you had a buddy to run with on the track! That’s awesome it’s 400m! I did a few laps on the track at my step dads gym and it was like 100m or less around! I’m excited to hear more about your speedwork 🙂
Too dangerous- anything below 30, ice, rain, wind. Any combo of those or individual 😉 I just can’t handle the cold at all and get very sick as soon as I stop moving… Plus my hands get very swollen and painful… I love the tread!
Thanks! I wrote my speedwork out on the plane ride home Sunday – 5K training until March, then switch over for the HM in early May 🙂
I remember how horrible the cold is to you! 🙁 I still feel bad I made you go out in it!
I’ve run in cold and snow but I think too dangerous for me is when it’s icy. I’d love to have access to an indoor track but I have a treadmill at the gym at work and the elliptical at home so I go with one of those options. Our running group actually cancelled our hill work out tonight because of the chance of ice so indoors for me.
I used to define too cold to run as anything below about 15 degrees, but that number has slowly risen over the years. =) I embrace the opportunity to cross-train or run on the treadmill when it’s too dangerous outside! Incidentally – when I was in college, one of the gyms had an indoor track for which you had to run 16 laps to equal one mile. That was too much. I literally got dizzy from running around in circles! I would pick a treadmill over an indoor track like that, anyday.
Ugh, I remember our college had something similar. Like it’s not already boring enough and then they have to make it so small? Ha ha. I am happy the one I went to this am is just over a quarter mile!
Where is there a local track to run on? LSC?
Yeah, that is one of them. There are quite a few!
Treadmill. At least I can plug into a TV or (attempt to) read and listen to music. Plus I can force myself to run an even pace or push the tempo and stay there.
It probably doesn’t help that the indoor track at my gym is 8 laps = 1 mile. Too many laps to count and somehow I ALWAYS lose track. It *is* kind of fun to use someone as a rabbit or secretly “race” someone though (cue evil laugh) but the treadmill wins for me every time!
Have you figured out reading while running on a treadmill? I could never make it work with a magazine, but it sounds nice 🙂
I used the lap function on my watch to count the laps for me today, otherwise I would SO forget too. Ha ha, and a local club came in for speedwork so that made it fun.
How has running been post NYC?
Running has been pretty good. I’ve felt great but struggled with motivation to get out there for anything longer than 6-7 miles. Seems like 4-5 has been my happy place but I’m feeling ready to get back at it.
“Attempt to” read is the key phrase there. It generally has to be something with the font size/picture and text ratio (and content) of something like Us Weekly or People. I actually had a Vanity Fair on the ‘mill last night and I opened up and saw how small the text was, laughed and immediately closed the magazine. I ended up staring at the cover for 5 miles. But I listened to music and watched (read closed caption!!!) on the gym TVs.
4-5 to is an AWESOME happy place! Do you have anything long coming up you need to start training for?
Ahh, okay! Good tip, that makes sense. So maybe pick up some books with the big font, too? Ha ha ha!
I totally know what you are saying. My best running friend and I dont get to run together much anymore because she is pregnant and we both have kids. Its tough. I would love to run on the indoor track instead of a treadmill. The sheet of ice (not so much the temp since I ran outside last night) is causing a rest day for me today but hopefully I can get to the treadmill tomorrow morning and then back outside Friday.
Aww man. Can you guys still meet up for non-running stuff? It’s so hard, isn’t it? I keep nights kind of sacred to be with my family… so mornings it is!
Hope you have a good run tomorrow and Friday (good and safe)!
I think for a regular ol’ easy run I would prefer the treadmill ’cause you can at least watch TV! But for speed work, I would prefer an indoor track over a ‘mill, I think. I can’t say for sure though because I’ve never run on an indoor track!
Hmmm…that is a tough one. I guess the indoor track would be preferable since you could treat it like any other track workout. If I had a friend with me, that would definitely help!
I can do the treadmill. I go to my gym and watch ESPN and read my Kindle. I did 11 miles last Saturday while watching the NFL playoffs. It wasn’t so bad.
Is the Kindle easy to read on a treadmill? I am very intrigued but this concept of reading and running!
No snow or ice here but I’d be inside if I was you. As you know I run for cover whenever the Lightning starts!!
It’s great that you have the indoor option! I don’t really like the treadmill but it’s great for a really hard interval workout, so I do kind of like it for that (I’m a masochist, I know). Otherwise, I’d prefer the track, hands down.
I typically just don’t run and sit inside, doing nothing! (But that doesn’t happen much here.) I guess if I were training for something, I’d feel more compelled to XT on a day off, but since I have no goals right now, I guess I don’t mind an extra rest day.
That reminds me that I wanted to ask you what race is next for you now… anything? Are you still thinking about a marathon? We should plan a race for 2016!!! 🙂