a ultra runner friend i have told me that running on a treadmill is even better for an ultra runner because its boring and you need to train to be bored if you ever wana be good at races that can take 24-48+ hours to finish. so instead of the 10 mile tempo i had planned to do outside, i decided to see how much i could do inside in a day.
the common misconception about treadmills is that they are a useful tool for runners, and they are great for helping non-runners get and stay active. that, however, is a complete load of crap. dont get me wrong, i love treadmills for intervals or running with friends that are slower than you, but thats it. the first 10 miles were the most boring miles of my life, and i truly mean that.
my next long run will be outside. if i ever get to the point that running requires me to be that bored for that long thatll be the day that i stop running forever. running for me has always made me happy, i think most runners can agree that running is the one consistent thing in you life that, even after a bad day/run, you know will make you happy. thats how i know that i really do love running, because even if i have a horrible day/week/month with running, ill keep on giving, each run is a gift, either a gift from me to running or from running to me. it really is a relationship, and all the bad runs disappear in a second after one amazing moment on the road or one effortless hill climb on the trails, where running seems to repay you for your hard hours spent with it.
the totals for the day: 12 miles on the 'mill, 20 minutes running in the sauna
Thank you for sacrificing scenic views and running on the tredmill with me no matter how boring it may be. I really enjoy our workouts together. You must think I'm a psycho for being able to run on the tredmill for an hour without getting bored.
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