Your Best Friend Can Sometimes Be A Treadmill

There is only one treadmill at the gym that likes me. It's off to the side, in the second row, well out of sight from anyone who I might know that could enter through the gym doors and see the sweat dropping off my arms and face. This treadmill likes me because when I set the speed, it actually goes that speed. Some of the treadmills go faster than the speed I want, while others are slow and loud. But, this particular treadmill and I have a special connection. It's always open. It was the one I ran on the day my grandma died. It was the one I was running on when I face planted. And, it was the one I was on when I ran my personal best 5k at 34:32 minutes.

There are a few reasons why this milestone means so much to me. For one, I had set a goal a few months back when I ran the Cape Cops 5k to do it in 37 minutes. That was in May. After that run I had an epiphany; I realized that a friend of mine who didn't train at all had run the same distance three minutes slower than me. Here I was training my ass off to reach this goal, and really it wasn't that fantastic. So, I set my goals higher. Because, at this point I need goals. You need goals too. You can't just jump on a machine without having something in your head that you want to reach whether it's to do 30 minutes, go a certain distance or just make sure you look cute while you're trotting along on the treadmill. I've given up on the latter. So, my goal now is to run a 5k in roughly around a 33 minute mark. I know I can do this because I have several months to continue training for the one in October, it's just keep up the motivation to get to the gym and workout.

So far that stupid number on the scale hasn't moved. Not even one little black line over closer to the left. I just lingers there, taunting me, waving its stupid red arm over that same numeric until I get frustrated, kick the scale and shove it back in the towel closet. I wish I could vow never to get it out again, but I can't make that promise. I'm neurotic about the number.

Now it's picture time. I sent a few pictures to my friend who asked for an ass shot. Only a select few would get such a picture and I'm not confident enough about my ass to post a snapshot of it to this blog. I don't know who is reading it. Probably no one. But, to give you an idea of where I was a few months ago and what a little sweat, determination and goal setting can get me here is a comparison:

Ok, here's me and TGIM about a year ago when I wasn't as dedicated to my running as I should have been. I'm wearing a size ten pants but as you can see, they're begging for some room around my thigh area. Cute shoes, though, right?
So, here's me a few days ago. Pink Marble took 360 degree shots of me, but this one shows the thigh and I just want it noticed that it does look smaller, right? RIGHT????

I'm looking forward to the day when I can post my 100 lbs weight loss picture on this blog and then everyone can applaud my accomplishment and send me gifts, perhaps pay for my tummy tuck and put me on the cover of People Magazine.

No, I Didn't Run Away

Things have been crazy busy around here lately. Visitors. Summer Break. Work. But, I am keeping up with my workouts and finding that I am enjoying cross training. One day I am on the stair master. Another day I am on the elliptical. And yet, another day I am running on the treadmill.

I have been reading that incorporating sprinting into your workout is a great way to boost your metabolism and burn more calories. So, I have started doing that while I am on the treadmill. Granted, sprinting is probably easier to do outside on the regular pavement but I have figured out a way to do it on the treadmill that seems to be efficient.

I start my normal one minute walk while adjusting my headphones, getting my playlist going and turning on the fan and track view setting on the treadmill. Then I up to the speed to about 5.7 and jog for about five minutes to get my muscles warmed up and my head in the game. Then I bump the speed up to 6.0 and watch on the Track View screen until I noticed I am round the curve on the track which pretty much is a computerized track you'd see going around a football field. When I am at the curve, I jump up to 7.5 and haul ass to the quarter, half or mile mark. I do this at every curve I come to switching up walking and jogging in between sprints. Doing this I have cut over a minute off my 5k time. Which I am now down to less than 36 minutes. Yea me!

Motivation is the one thing that I find is the hardest part of running. Getting my ass to the gym and feeling the desire to be there it a mindfuck all the time. I constantly have to remind myself why I am doing it and how good the outcome is going to be. A long time ago when I first started Weight Watchers I was given a quote which read, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I think about this phrase often and I wholeheartedly believe it. Since, I started working out up to five days a week, I have found there is a small boost in my self esteem. Clothes fit a little better. I feel healthier. I notice a change in my body. That damn scale still says that same stupid three numbers and I am thinking there might be some sort of meaning behind those numbers. I just can't quite figure it out. Perhaps I need to play them in the lottery?

It would be nice to have someone to work out with and anytime anyone wants to join me in a run, I am always eager to have someone run along side me. Last time I was at the gym I chose a treadmill next to a girl who looked about my age that was running on her treadmill. I figured I could run alongside her and pretend she was one of my friends and we were working out together. Then about three minutes into my warm-up she took off. Bitch!