Treadmill.. shredmill.. #$%@&^$

So overall Calgary’s winter weather isn’t so bad comparably speaking. I mean, we like to complain on really cold days (and don’t get me wrong there have been some this season) but now with the runs getting longer and the weather getting colder, it was bound to happen… hitting the euphoria wall and having a bad running day!!

We've found that each run completed together usually ends with positive energy including congratulations to and for each other on continually showing up and putting in our best efforts. These actions can be explained the sense of accomplishment AND the euphoria you feel after a run caused by endorphins.


We have come to get used to this and wait for it, so even though at times during hills, long runs, tough runs, etc.. you can count on the fact that when you are done, you will feel better than when you started...That was before today. With the weather hovering at around -18C, the only logical option for me was to run the 7km (yeah, I know ONLY 7km) on our gym’s state of the art treadmill… still not feeling sorry for me, I get it.

I gave myself 45minutes to complete this task, set my pace accordingly and raised the incline to 2% (as per what we were told would simulate outdoor running). The run started off OK, the first couple km’s were completed with help of Julia Roberts running from her husband in “Sleeping with the Enemy”.. keeps your mind off of things for sure. The next couple kms got progressively harder with nothing on TV to keep my mind occupied enough to forget that I was running. I did make an effort to keep my mind busy trying to answer questions on “The Cash Cab”.. didn’t help as the commercials kept interrupting my make believe bliss.

By 3.5km or half way, usually I get kind of excited because I’m on the downhill now, halfway finished .. not so much today. All I could muster (in my own mind of course) was.. “Are you kidding me.. I’m only half way now!?!?” So switching between “Showbiz Tonight” and the “Cash Cab” during commercials got me to around 5km (my maximum treadmill run ever).. but still 2km to go… urghh.!!!

I should know better than to even have the km reading up on the treadmill because the last hard fought kms were the longest time spent ever on a treadmill I'm sure! I am sweating by this point (having gotten used to running outside), can’t concentrate on the TV (partly because I can’t answer the $100 questions) and have started texting Felic for encouragement (which she thankfully obliged to with return texts of support). Thank God it finally ended, I thought I was out of my misery, just waiting for those endorphins to check in and make me feel like I’d accomplished something, that I’d feel better because I finished.. NOT! Didn't happen.

So I guess another lesson learned.. treadmills for longer than 5km runs and for the most part aren't something I am inclined to do often AND make sure that when I am done that I tell my princess partners about the experience and who make sure to bring you that feeling of endorphins to you in words and praise afterwards.