The Dreadmill vs Mother Nature

Treadmills have never been my thing, something about never getting anywhere and spending a chunk of time doing so. Perhaps it has to do with the large plane of glass in front of the treadmills in the gym that I visit that mirror me jiggling up and down as I plod along. It is tough not having the distraction of a pink sunrise, wind swept coulee, or twittering creek side to help the time pass more quickly. All the gym brings is the clank of metal and sultry smell of sweat, more like a factory than a place of meditation and focus. It's no wonder that the figurative definition for treadmill is a job or situation that is tiring, boring, or unpleasant and from which it is hard to escape.

I've managed to keep away from the treadmill this winter, partly because of a trimmed running schedule in the aftermath of an injury and partly because of manageable weather conditions. If the climate outside became too adverse, I simply chose not to run; however, in the wake of a new year and resolution to do and be better, skipping a day of running was less of an option.

With a drop in temperature, causing melting snow to become sheets of ice, and the addition of 6-8 inches of snow being pushed around the country side by gusting winds, I thought it would be better to hit the treadmill than not get a run in or risk injury running over slippery terrain. To spice things up I chose to run on the treadmill barefoot. I did keep my FiveFinger KSOs close by in case my feet started warming up. Although I have conditioned my bare feet for pavement and other terrain, I haven't had much luck with the industrial, rubber conveyor belt spinning with vigorous friction, lasting only a mile or so before threatening blisters. Today I made it to a mile and a half before putting my VFF on.

Because my wife had to run some errands, I finished a quick three miles and darted home. While walking from my truck to the front door, the unseen ice reached up and bit me. Even though I played it safe by spending time on the undesirable treadmill rather than facing nature head on, nature still managed to throw a cheap shot. I came down hard on my right elbow.

It must of caused some pretty good whiplash because getting back to my feet was quite a chore. I stumbled through the front door with nausea looming and managed a closer look at my numbing arm. A deep gash and instant bruising needed more attention than I could give, so I headed to the hospital, waiting an hour for a two-minute, two-stitch job.

I felt bad about my wife getting out late for her errands, so I decided to run the 6-7 blocks from the hospital to my home rather than make her come out in the storm again. The vertigo was long gone, and I was feeling good, so why not?

I wasn't quite dressed for the weather, just a hoodie and running shorts, but an easy pace kept me warm enough for the short distance. As luck would have it, I didn't fall. I didn't slip or stumble. It's almost as if nature was trying to tell me that I shouldn't have cheated on her with the treadmill... Or should I say dreadmill?

Update on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 4:56PM by Nathan Smith

In all fairness, I must elaborate on my feelings towards treadmills. With weeks of -20 degree celsius weather (and colder), treadmills are a necessary tool for conditioning. Even when the weather is warmer, sometimes it is hard to push out into the dark mornings or blustery afternoons. Without treadmills, I would not be sufficiently prepared for the half marathon I have planned in the spring. I guess we have a love/hate relationship.

Comments

[Barb]

Wow, once again, I REALLY don't know what to write??