Treadmill vs Nature

So traditionally I am a treadmill runner, Hubby brought me a treadmill about 12 months ago when I moved back to the farm, because running outside in winter with no lights is NOT fun, and our farm roads can get a little slippery.


So since then I have ran on the treadmill. I am up to week 5 of the C25K using the Get Running i-Phone application, I generally put the treadmill on 3-5% incline, or random hills for variety and off I go, 3 times per week, walking at 6km/hr, and running at 8-10km/h. I use the speed to help me set my pace, and it is easy to find a rythum, and force yourself to keep on going when you are on the treadmill.

On Sunday it was a BEAUTIFUL sun shining day, so I decided to take it outside for the first time in over 9 months. I admitt it..... It HURT!! A LOT!! I struggled with the unevenness of the roads, with finding a steady pace, and with the self motivation it took to keep on running just until the lovely lady said to "walk now". I found my self talking to demand her to talk....just tell me 2mins to go I said to myself!

But although my pace was slower, the feeling of the sun on my back, the fresh air on my face and teh sense of achievement when I realised how far I had run under my own steam was fantastic. I ran just under 4 kms in 32 minutes.

My goal is that I will be able to run 5km in 30mins by my birthday (19th Oct) and I have signed up for a 6km fun run in Mt Gambier on the 21st of November. ALSO in my town they are running an “Active Community Team Challenge” which consists of a 4km walk/run ever fortnight. The aim is to improve your time each week, so that will help me with the outside running.

I am tonight sitting in a hotel room after an unexepected, unplanned & unwanted work function, tomorrow is run day, and there is no treadmill in sight, so for the second time in memory I am going to lace up my runners and take to the road again....

I am not ready to give up my treadmill, there is something to be said for being able to turn off and watch the beautiful people on E News or the contestants on Biggest Loser whilst I am running, but I think after Sundays experience I will venture into Nature a little more often!

Xx

S

P.S Only a few days until Round 3 KICKS OFF with a BANG!!