The gym's becoming relevant again

by - Tuesday, October 28, 2008

After months and months of shunning the gym for the warm summer months of running outside, lately I've been finding myself heading back indoors.

It's been pitch black when I wake up in the mornings and I don't have very much daylight left by the time I get home from work.

It started out with a few spin classes here and there, a couple times each week. This morning was the first time I forced myself onto the thrillmill though.

I met my co-worker Michele this morning and did about 20 minutes of elliptical with her before she had to head home to get ready for work (poor girl starts an hour before I do.)

When she left I switched over to the treadmill and thought I'd be adventurous and do some intervals. I know they were on the treadmill so it's not the same as doing them on a track, but these days track access is not really an option. So it looks like I'll be doing most of my speed work on the treadmill. (Does anyone have thoughts on this or suggestions on how to adjust the speed to make it most mirror the effort I'd be putting out on a track?)

I didn't have much time left so I figured I'd try to do 4x800 with an 800 recovery in between each. (I never know how long to recover after my intervals. Is 800 too long? It seems to work for me...again thoughts?)

Well I ran out of time and only did 3x800, but I figured it was something. I did my fast intervals at an 8:57 pace and my recovery was at 10:54. I could definitely feel that the effort was challenging so I think I did an OK job picking out speeds, but as always your thoughts or suggestions are helpful.

By the end with cool down and everything, I had done a little less than 30 minutes on the thrillmill and 20 minutes of the random hill setting on the elliptical.

A solid workout in my book.

P.S. Thanks for everyone's input on my last post about my marathon worries. After today's workout I'm feeling better about things and I'm going to see how I feel in another week or so.

P.P.S. How annoying is it the Game 5 got postponed last night? And how really pissed was I this morning when I found out the commish was going to suspend the game either way and not call it after the 5th and magically make the Phils win. (Which I think was the right decision, a World Series shouldn't be decided by the rain.) But why did they even play the top of the 6th then? The conditions were crappy. They should have called it after five and the Phils would have had a one-run lead. No way the Rays second run would have scored if it hadn't been for the rain. OK end rant about baseball.

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11 comments

  1. Sometimes the gym is a necessary evil.

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  2. Just don't run on the treadmill flat. A 1% incline will make it equivalent to the track :-)

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  3. I'm holding off on the gym until January if possible. I hate treadmills.

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  4. GAH i hate the treadmill... im hoping to avoid it for as long as i can.

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  5. I have NO idea what to tell you chica. I hate, hate, hate TMs but I think Wes has the right idea. As long as it isn't flat?!?

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  6. Anonymous1:43 PM

    Speedwork on the treadmill? You are my hero. I just don't have it in me to do that. But, I guess it's better than trying to hit the track in the dark.

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  7. I went back to the gym today too.

    I've heard that you should set the incline to 1% - same as what Wes said - but I really don't think it ever truly replicates running outside

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  8. Yes, it is that time of year to get back into a routine at the gym. Unfortunately I have been doing so for the past couple months to get workouts done in the AM before work.

    You asked about how to make the time spent on your treadmill equivalent to the work done when pounding the pavement... I read in runners world to increase the incline to 1% to 2% to work the body harder. This is probably as close as you are going to get. I don't think it has anything to do with the speed!

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  9. Oh goodness. I guess I should have read others comments instead of just repeating the same thing.. LOL!

    Try it. It will make a difference!

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  10. Seriously just had the opposite thought today. I don't think I will be back at the gym for a little while. LOL

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  11. I'm in the same boat, time to find the gym again (I think I remember where it is)!!!
    Just catching up on your blog - your post on the races looks awesome! Maybe we'll get to run together for the Baltimore 10 miler!!!!

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