I tried to break it, but the treadmill won

Posted by simon on 11/17/2007 on simon's blog

On the road in Scottsdale, Arizona, I'm doomed to running on a treadmill.

As usual, the hotel "fitness center" is tucked away in a corner where no "normal" guests aren't going to be embarrassed by sweaty people working out. I have the choice of two aging Precors and pick the one without the floppy belt. I'm very proud of the fact that I managed to keep amused on it for a solid hour, and that I didn't make myself fall off by looking in the mirrors too much.

Every time I get going on a treadmill I think of Steve Prefontaine who, so the story goes, arranged a taper as soon as he got the date when a university wanted to test his Vo2 max and stuff. He got to the lab with the intention of beating the machine. I'm sure he made it smoke. I could only manage to nearly have my legs ripped off, but at least I didn't get bored.

After an very easy jog to warm-up, I ramped the incline up to the maximum 12% and kept it there as long as I could manage at a decent pace, then ramped it down by 1% every tenth of a mile... recovered.... then back up to the "top of the hill". Then time for speed....

I went for sets of quarters with quarter-mile walks between... the object to see how fast the thing would go... I've got to admit it beat me. I managed to get to 5:20 pace before blowing up. I'm going to have another`crack at it... I just hope the darn thing has a max speed of 5 minutes per mile pace and not 4 :)

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5 comments

Dru says:

I stumbled on your blog this morning, and am just curious about your are running inside when the weather here is so great. If that treadmill won't start up today, I'm sure someone at The Scottsdale Running Company in Scottsdale or The Runner's Den in Phoenix could give you some suggestions that are close to your hotel.

by Dru (not verified) on Sun, 2007-11-18 12:07

Jerry Nairn says:

I agree. We are having great weather here.
Maybe you should go to the regular Tuesday night group run at the Scottsdale Running Company, at the corner of Indian Bend and Hayden at 6 PM. They'll take you out on the canal, or more likely on the green belt because it's getting dark so early. You'll enjoy it way more than the dreadmill.
Of course, you do make it sound almost like fun.

by Jerry Nairn on Mon, 2007-11-19 23:07

simon says:

Thanks guys... I feel really stupid now that I didn't check with the community here. To be fair to me, the course was intense and we were going to late evening plus I didn't have transport... but next time (February) I will sort something out.

I didn't get time to have another crack at the treadm ill. Now I am back in Boulder... we have the first snow due tomorrow!

by simon on Tue, 2007-11-20 05:26

Patty Murray says:

Hey Simon,

Your treadmill workout is very impressive. I don't run on the treadmill too often, but when winter gets really bad like last year, I find myself at the Rec center. I have a really hard time running a real workokut on a treadmill. The best I have ever been able to do is string along 3-4 miles at 6:00 pace. It always feels so hard I can't wait to stop where outside I can just cruise along. I feel like I am going to fall off the back if I go faster. See you soon!

Patty

by Patty Murray on Tue, 2007-11-20 17:47

simon says:

Hi Patty,

Scottsdale's only at 1,000 feet (about) -- I'm sure that made a big difference. (Plus two days spent sitting down travelling and in class, so that counts as a taper!).

When are we running?

by simon on Tue, 2007-11-20 18:01