Thursday, March 10, 2011

Running Along

The treadmill broke again.  Well, it's not exactly broken; it will run, but if you run on it the belt slips and randomly tries to stop.  If you have ever spent any time on an untrustworthy treadmill, you know that this is a very bad thing. Ugh.  Edwin already replaced the belt, so we have determined not to spend any more money on the really cheap, used treadmill we bought through Craig's List.  Now I just hope we can get it hauled away without having to pay someone.  Do you think anyone would want an unreliable treadmill if I listed it on Craig's List for free?

My sweet husband intends to buy a new treadmill for me, and I know I will be very glad to have it next winter.  I have accepted the fact that I may be able to run in cold temperatures but I can not really run on snow.  I am not going to be able to run outside all year.  And sitting on the couch all winter has not worked out very well for me in the past!  But right now I have just about exhausted my patience for running in the basement, going nowhere.

My relationship with the treadmill was always a bit of a love-hate kind of thing anyway, so fine.  It's March now and time to run outside.  (You do not want me to whine now about how March is very wintry here, especially this year, do you? I did not think so.)

One day last week I noticed that the bike path along my favorite running route was clear of snow and ice- it actually looked like a sidewalk.  So on Friday, in honor of my birthday, I bundled up and headed outside to run while the kids made breakfast.  It was 25 degrees and I picked the right clothes.  I even got hot and took off my gloves.  I ran my three miles, listening to my happy music, smiling most of the way.  I beat my treadmill time by almost 5 minutes.  I felt like Superwoman.  Running outside is better, cold or not.

Then our family went to the water park over the weekend (fun!), most of us went skiing on Monday (fun!), and Tuesday I was moving pretty slowly so I opted for the exercise bike.  Wednesdays are too busy for exercise, so that brings us to today.  I almost lost heart when I looked out and saw how white everything was (more snow yesterday), but I suited up for 23 degrees and headed out.  The neighborhood roads are fine if I run in the middle occasionally(which is ok since it's the neighborhood), and I was looking forward to the bike path that had been so perfect on Friday.  However, the new-improved, warmer weather we've been having most afternoons and the new-improved sun angle have allowed for a decent amount of melting, which causes the water to run all over the path, only to freeze again over night.  So I had to walk some, dance around the ice patches some (not literally), and I even performed a couple of good Scooby-Doos, but I did not fall.  My time was still good, amazingly.  And I was still delighted to be outside. 

Consequently I have concluded that running outside is better for now, even when the conditions are not great.  Somehow I can dream of summer, or at least spring, while chugging along with huge snow piles on either side of me, and for that I am grateful.  Surely in another month or two things will improve dramatically.  Then I will dodge mud puddles instead of ice patches.  But at least I will be breathing in the fresh air and going somewhere - well, there and back again anyway!  Come, Spring, come!


"That is one good thing about this world. . .there are always sure to be more springs." 
Lucy Maud Montgomery, from Anne of Avonlea

4 comments:

Debbie VanSomeren said...

I hear you about being outside....I did my walk outside today as opposed to being on the treadmill at Snap Fitness with other sweaty bodies. It clears out my mind so much better! Debbie

Anonymous said...

Pray for a donated treadmill -- seriously, someone offered us one last year and it still works.

I've been running outside and have gotten lazy so for the last couple of weeks I'm on the treadmill pushing myself to keep a faster pace. Today I missed my run ARGH! We ate dinner out and I can't run after I eat a meal....silly but I just can't. Saturday I have a 5K and it will be a matter of will b/c I don't feel prepared.

You run along in the super cold and know that I'm running along down here in the chilly.

Are you coming in July for the reunion?

Tracey said...

Debbie, you are so right! The other random sweaty people factor is worse than the basement!

Jill, good idea to pray for a free treadmill. And I will think of you running when I do. You'll be plenty hot soon enough. And I hope your 5K goes well. Have you run one before? I'd like to hear about it!

Tracey said...

Oh, and Jill, I don't know yet about the reunion. It would be fun to go, but I don't know if we can pull it off. Are you going?