QUIRKS THAT WORK

Treadmill workouts are hard.  Mad, crazy hard.  At least, they are for me.  But, sometimes braving the elements is harder.  Here in the Boston area, this summer has been stupidly hot.  I've managed to get outside for almost all of my easy/slower stuff.  I've also learned the hard way that successfully completing a workout on pace in heat and humidity is rare and going inside on the belt is usually the lesser of two evils.  Lesser, mind you.  Still very evil, though.  Yesterday I took one look at the weather ('Feels like' 99, Next Hour:Humid??!!), laughed out loud and packed my bag for the gym.  I had a tempo run to tackle, so eleven miles total.  Oof.

That's a long freaking run on the treadmill.  No excuses, right?  Had to be done.  I hopped on the machine and started my warmup of three easy miles.  When I finished that, I stepped off and changed my shoes.  Then I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face.  I walked back over to my stuff, threw my hair up into a bun, picked out a new playlist, got back on and re-started the treadmill.  Then, and only then, was I ready to get going.  We all have our methods of operation.  And we obviously do what works for us; whatever it takes to get us through the task at hand.  And after finishing yesterday's tempo run, as I cooled down, I realized that I've come up with quite a few helpful, if not quirky, things that are useful to me when fighting through a workout inside.  A system, if you will.  And following these steps usually makes it relatively easier for me to get both prepared and eventually (hopefully) through it.  I also realized that I use all of them every time I'm forced to run on the machine.  My guess is that if you're a runner of any kind, unless you prefer the treadmill like my dear friend Beth G. (how does she DO it??), than you, too often find yourself in deal mode; using tricks of the trade to get through.  Here's just a few of my "go-tos".  Perhaps you'll want to give some of them a try next time you're forced inside.  And, by all means, if you have your own, do share.  I'll take all the help I can get.

BUNS UP & OTHER QUIRKS THAT WORK

~ Change your shoes. Every time I do a workout inside I bring my trainers and my flats.  When I'm done warming up I change my shoes.  It breaks things up and helps me get in the zone.  And I always feel a little bad ass when I hop back on with my race shoes.  Then I change again when I'm done, a signal to my brain that I can relax and reset.

~ Change your music.  A shift in BPM (beats per minute) can make a big difference in regards to motivation and drive.  As soon as I'm ready to start, I switch my playlist to one with faster tunes and pump up the volume.

~ Take a short break after your warmup.  As I mentioned above, I like to splash water on my face before I start.  The walk to and from the bathroom helps me reset and the water cools me down and helps me get more alert and fired up.  But you can also just take a lap around the gym or grab a drink.  Maybe throw some positive self talk in there, too. (WE GOT THIS)

~ Adjust the little things.  After my warmup I take some time to make some small, last minute adjustments.  If it's hot, I take my shirt off to run in my sports bra.  I'll also throw my hair up in a bun.  And, as I mentioned above, I change my shoes.  But, I don't do any of them until it's go-time.  When the bun goes up, it's time to get serious.  

~ Don't panic.  It's often tricky for me to go from warm-up pace to workout pace on the treadmill without feeling a bit overwhelmed at the intense difference.  It's easy to panic when this happens and doubt that I can maintain the goal pace.  Instead of freaking out, I count to 60 and try and find a groove in my head that will eventually flow down throughout the rest of my body.  Sometimes, I'll do this twice.  Usually, by then I'm okay.  Even if it hurts (which it usually does), I know I can likely hold on for the rest.

~ Don't look.  The clock always runs slower on the treadmill.  Always.  Nine times out of ten when I look at the display, I'm short of where I thought I'd be.  If I'm struggling or I feel like it's been a while and I have a burning urge to check my time or mileage, I try to wait it out just a bit longer.  So, I'll tell myself to listen to one more song or again to count (slowly) to 60, before I look.  Sometimes this distracts me enough to hold off from checking at all.  But if not, it gives me time to get a little further along in the workout before I look and therefore cushions the blow when I learn how much I have left.

~ Finish fast.  Regardless of what my workout is and what pace I'm running, I always trying and finish my last 1-2 minutes at a faster pace, sort of like I'm finishing a race.  If I'm having a bad day, maybe I haven't been able to do what I set out to do, finishing strong leaves me with a better taste in my mouth than if I just got off and left.  If I'm nailing it, a fast finish reminds me that I can switch gears on race day, too.  This is more mental than anything, but it's a trick that has served me well.  I almost always find a new gear that I didn't think I had and that's a huge boost.

~ Wear your power suit.  Whether it's your favorite shirt or a uniform that you race in, putting on clothes that you like and feel good in always helps you get in the game.  I wear my race kit or part of it almost every time I'm forced inside.  I get an extra little high knowing that I'm running for and surrounded by my team, even from afar.  It's so simple but incredibly empowering.  I love it.

Listen to this:

Ego - NONONO