Trails, Roads, Races, Treadmills – Running Is Running

If you’ve read my blog at all you know that I LOVE my treadmill!!! I log the majority of my miles on the treadmill and I rarely race anymore.

This wasn’t always the case for me. I used to hate everything about the treadmill.

I ran competitive track and cross country in high school and college. When I was in grad school (in Alabama) I raced a lot and never once trained on a treadmill.

It wasn’t until after we had Jordan that I converted to being a treadmill runner.

Because of the nature of Chris’ job –

he has always had to be away for varying lengths of time. I didn’t want to share my running (I’m selfish like that!!!) by pushing a stroller so we bought a treadmill. (I’m on my 3rd in 16 years!)

Over the years I’ve learned to love running on the treadmill.
* It doesn’t matter how cold or hot it is outside
* It is never raining or snowing or muddy

this would NEVER happen on the treadmill

* I can always pause for a pit stop without having to duck behind a tree.
* I stay caught up on my DVRed shows!!
* I could run during nap-time, early morning or after the boys were in bed when they were little and couldn’t be left alone and I was doing the single parent gig!

Most of the time I’m perfectly fine with the fact that I am a treadmill runner. However, there are times that things come up that make me question if I really am a true runner since most of my miles are on the treadmill.

I know that there are differences – no wind, not a natural incline, controlled climate…..I try to accommodate for some by setting my treadmill at 1.5 incline for all of my runs and then using the incline for hills on occasion.

I don’t race much these days – mostly because I always raced to win not just to finish a race and the training required for that is more than my body can handle these days since I have had more stress fractures than I can count.

So, sometimes I question whether or not I am a real runner. I know that there are many people who scoff at the treadmill and would say “NO, those miles don’t count.”

However, I know that running is running and it doesn’t matter where you run, how far you run, how fast you run or if you take a picture to document the run – RUNNING IS RUNNING!!!