February 29th, to me, doesn’t really seem all that exciting. Yes, it’s an “extra” day, but I don’t get off work. There were a few sales but, realistically, there wasn’t too much going on in the world outside of the usual. So I decided to make it a special one.
I did something I’ve never done before (well, maybe never. I think once I tried in high school, but it wasn’t for me.)
Whoah, get your mind out of the gutter, I’m talking about a treadmill run!
My new frenemy?
My silly towel is blocking out the one most crucial number on this treadmill: I ran that mile (just barely) under 10 minutes! I think the last time I ran a mile was sometime in 2005 (MAYBE 2006, but even that could be a stretch.) I was out of practice, I wasn’t sure what to do with my arms, and I made sure that I didn’t stop the whole time!
You can see in my GarminConnect summary that my HR peaked during my run (the first 10 minutes of my workout):
Yeah, buddy!
The rest of the workout was a smattering of cardio, exercises featuring use of my body weight (lunges, jump squats, jackknife situps, etc), and a final bout on the treadmill (just to try out the other machine) followed by the last 5 minutes on the stairmaster! It was kind of nice to mix up the workout, the BodyPump class just looked too packed to deal with and, honestly, after that venture on the treadmill, I just wanted to keep moving, not lifting.
HUGE thanks to my running cheerleader, Sierra, who may have run to NC from South Africa… Either way, she ran into the gym to cheer me on JUST when I was hitting a little wall around 7 minutes. As I gestured shooting myself in the head when she walked in, she grinned her happy lunchbox grin and I refused to stop, knowing I had a bit of an audience (albeit an audience of one).
Though we normally live across the globe from each other, Sierra’s actually one of my oldest friends from UNC, and my new running guru (one of a few who’s offered to guide me in ‘the ways of the runners’) as she has already steered me in the right direction of the “good treadmill” at the gym.
My first year at UNC was obvious the classiest of all.
I still have a few questions for all you runners out there…
What kind of bottoms do you wear? I think that shorts were not the wisest idea…
What do you do with your arms?
I considered this pose:
MK is NOT my fitspiration! (click if you think mocking Mary Kate Olsen is quality online humor)
But my elbows got too sweaty.
My last question:
HOW do you folks do this every day?!
I’m tempted to take an ice bath…. Luckily, I never turn the heat on in my apartment, so…. problem solved.
Food, Sweat, and Beers 
Congrats on the sub 10 minute mile! I like running specific shorts. They have a built in underwear liner so that they don’t ride up. Sometimes I wear tights to, but in the gym, I just get to hot. Relax your arms. They should be bent slightly, but just let them do what they want.
Thanks! And I like that advice. I wasn’t certain that I’d be running when I packed my bag, but I definitely have a few pairs of RS shorts that I mostly just use because I hate undies.
TMI? NBD.
Um, I hold a water bottle. I do it every day or I go nuts…literally. It’s more a need than a desire.
Also, short or compression leggings.
I definitely like the sound of leggings. And I have a few pairs that would be great as it’s getting warmer!
I don’t think I’d ever do the ice bath thing! Getting a “good” treadmill at the gym is crucial. 😉
Ooh, your treadmill cherry got popped! I love treadmill running because it regulates me speed for me, whereas when I run on the road, the road doesn’t keep me going at any certain pace. I like to wear workout capris for running, or non-loose shorts, otherwise they jangle all up around my legs.
You must have some long arms! When I treadmill run I have my arms where I would when I run normally, by my sides, in the runner’s arm positions.
Glad it was the cherry and not like… my knee. Now, I just have to figure out the “runner’s arm” position!
Wow, that photo is a gem. The only shorts that I like to run in are Nike Tempos. Capris are great, but I have to adjust the waist pant a bit for the first mile or so. After that I usually get a little sweat going and that keeps them in place. Gross, but true life.
Thank goodness for sweat, as I always say.
Wait. I never say that. But I DO love that picture.
I’ve been trying to run 1 mile a few times a week. I originally wanted to do 1 mile a day, but yeah…life gets in the way. Anyway, I think I run a pretty slow mile, like 11 minutes, I don’t have anything timing me because I do it outside and I don’t have a garmin or anything. You should be happy with your time! 🙂 I’d like to try doing a treadmill mile because then I could really see how fast (slow) I am.
I think I’d probably be a little slower outside without the treadmill doing a little of the work for me as far as regulation…. I just figure I’ll ease into it leading up to an eventual “coming out party”. As in… coming outside to run.
I actually prefer running skirts, although I will do running shorts when I’m out of clean skirts. You have to try different styles of bottoms and figure out what’s comfortable for you. 🙂 And just let yourself run further back on the treadmill, so you can put your arms comfortably by your side. Your arms should move back and forth in a relatively straight line – imaging you’re wearing a hoodie and your hands are pulling on the strings that hang down from front. 🙂
THAT is excellent advice! Ah, thank you for sharing, that description makes perfect sense. Can’t wait to try it out.
I’m also intrigued by this “running skirt” idea. Are they like tennis skirts?
wohoo go you!!
Well, I’m still on the bigger side of where I’d like to be, and chafing is of prime concern, so I usually wear capris (Target actually makes some great ones for not much $$). I also like running skirts with attached biker shorts underneath. If you run with shorts and find that you chafe some, get Body Glide (mind out of the gutter….although my mom was like, “I can’t believe you have LUBE sitting OUT on your DRESSER. What are people going to THINK about you?” I’m like, “Um, the product I think that you’re thinking of is ASTROGLIDE.” Geez, ma!). My dad always advised holding my arms at about 90 degree angles or so, and holding my hands such that I was grasping an imaginary potato chip in between my thumb and middle finger, attempting not to break said chip. He’s a pretty technical dude.
Moms say the darndest things…. and solid description from your dad re: potato chip grasp. If there’s something I’m VERY familiar with, it’s holding chips. Thanks for the tips! (More, thanks for the lube story. bahahaha!)