Last summer Barry got me a treadmill for my birthday. The first thing I did was lovingly dub my treadmill “Sven.” Then it was time to actually use the thing.

I usually hop on the treadmill when I need to run and it’s dark outside. I’ve also used it to get in the miles while keeping my shins happy, thanks to the extra cushioning. This past winter it also came in handy when we had numerous snow storms and a polar vortex descended upon us. Over the past 8 months I have logged countless shorter runs, and a handful of “long” runs with Sven. I used to refer to the treadmill as the “dreadmill,” but I’ve since learned a few tricks to make life bearable as I run in place.

1. Listen to music (or an audiobook/podcast). My treadmill has an auxiliary plug, and I love to plug in my iPod and blast some jams. For Barry’s benefit, I usually only do that when he’s not home. If he’s home, I stick to earphones. Creating a playlist with songs that you can rock out to will help the miles fly by. Sometimes you’ll even have to fight the urge to dance while you run.

2. Change the treadmill settings. Sometimes I play a game on the treadmill where I bump the speed up 0.1 mph every 0.1 miles, until I hit a certain goal. Then I bump it back down by 0.1 mph increments every 0.1 miles until I’m back where I started from. You can make changes to the incline and/or speed every few minutes or at various distance increments. It helps break up the run and gives you something else to focus on other than your overall goal for the run.

3. Use a towel to cover the screen. This is one of my favorite tricks when I’m doing a long run on the ‘mill. I sometimes have a tendency to stare at the distance and it just makes the run drag. Having a towel over the display lets me focus on my music or the movie/TV show that I’m watching.

4. Watch a favorite movie or TV show. I actually prefer to watch stuff I’ve seen before so that if I zone out and zone back in I’m not missing anything. I’ve started referring to the movies and TV I watch while on the treadmill as my “in-flight entertainment.”

5. Play a game. Make up a game where you do something every 10-15 minute. It can be to take a sip of water, take in some fuel, or make a change to the speed or incline. This helps break up the run, so that you’re only focusing on the next segment. It creates mini goals to get you to the end of your run.

What tricks do you use to keep yourself entertained on the treadmill?

Last week I received an email with my ‘official’ race photos from the Asheville Half Marathon at the Biltmore Estate. For once I look mostly human, so I thought I’d share a few. All official photos are from Carolina Snapshot.

Mile 6 at the house:

Before mile 7 going past the gardens:

Here is a picture I took of the gardens during the race:

And here is a picture of what the gardens look like in full bloom. I took this picture when I went to the Biltmore Estate with Barry, his mom, and his sister during May or June when I was in college.

Okay, back to race photos. Finish line:

Not sure where this is, possibly somewhere on the west side of the Estate during the second half:

Finish line:

How do your official race photos typically turn out?
Half of the time I liken mine to my driver’s license photo…. I don’t really look like that, do I?

I intended this week to be a cutback week after all of my racing, but I did not intend to cutback as much as I did.  I ended up taking three rest days this week (although two were unplanned, due to catching a cold), ran three days, and cross trained one. We can call it listening to my body, but I think my mind played a big role this week. It is what it is.

Monday- Rest day following the Asheville Half Marathon.

Tuesday- 3 mile run on the treadmill. I took it nice and easy, since my legs were still a bit sore from Sunday’s race. It did feel good to get moving for awhile. It was below freezing outside and after the cold and rainy weekend, I had no interest in being outside.

Wednesday- Rest day. This was an unplanned rest day after I came down with a cold and had a long day at work. It turns out you’re almost guaranteed to get sick when you spend 6 hours outside in the rain when it is 40 degrees. Especially when you’re soaking wet and freezing for the majority of that time. Go figure.

Thursday- 4 mile run on the treadmill. I don’t know what kind of alternate reality we’re living in where I’d choose the treadmill over a run outside when it’s sunny and 50 degrees, but we’re there. I think part of it was I had spent too much time on the road this week at work, and I just didn’t feel like being around cars or other people. Nevertheless, it was a good run. I ran the last 3 miles under 10 minute pace.

Friday- Rest day. Another unplanned rest day. I intended to do a short run after work, but instead I fell asleep on the couch for about 1.5 hours. I figured it was my body’s way of telling me it still needed a break. Message received.

Saturday- 6 mile run with Kim on the Dora and New River Trails. It felt good to get out there for a run, but I definitely didn’t feel like anything over 6 miles. There was a bit of spring in the air, with temperatures in the mid-40’s. My favorite. The spring weather was short lived, though, as we’re expecting snow tomorrow.

Sunday- Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones DVD workout. I felt tired, and at times weak/shaky and lightheaded during this workout, but I managed not to “phone it in” in the words of Jillian. I’m not sure why I felt so tired. I had just given both of the dogs baths right before this workout, but that shouldn’t be enough to wear me out. But then again, this workout is  is probably the toughest workout DVD I have. It’s a tough workout for me on a good day, and even more so on a bad one.

Total miles: 13 miles

Once again I am joining in on the monthly Runners Tell All link-up. This is a monthly link-up for runners that poses a different topic each month. If you missed last month’s ‘my running story’ link-up, click HERE. This month we’re talking about our favorite running gear.

Running is a simple sport. All you really need is a good pair of shoes and a place to run. A watch, some decent apparel, and a hydration mechanism doesn’t help either. With that in mind, here are my favorite pieces of running gear:

1.   My (newly) beloved Hoka One One’s. After reading and hearing a lot about this brand of shoes last year, I took the plunge invested in a pair of Stinsons towards the end of January. The big price tag was a bit scary, but they’re supposed to last twice as long as “regular” running shoes (800 miles).

The fact that they’re purple, which is my favorite color, helped me get over how much they resemble clown shoes. But so far my shins have been very happy, so I don’t care what they look like. I should note that the shoes are merely one tool in my arsenal, though. I am also stretching and icing diligently, in addition to backing off when necessary, to keep my shins healthy.

2.   Garmin Forerunner 405. I seldom head out for a run without strapping on my trusty Garmin. I’m not one to get obsessed over numbers (for the most part), but I really like knowing exactly how far I ran, down. to. the. hundredth. of a mile.

Plus it gives me a chance to strike the famous “runner pose” while waiting for my satellites to load.

Unfortunately, this particular watch has been discontinued. So on the sad, sad day that my Garmin dies, I will have to find a new version to love.

3.   Nathan handheld water bottle. I used to run with a waistpack that had a 20 oz water bottle on the back, but it would never stay in place and drove me nuts. Then I discovered the handheld water bottle. I take water with me on any run over an hour, and any run when it’s hotter than 75 degrees.

Early on in 2013, I also started running any race over a 10K with my water bottle.

Virginia 10 Miler

I found that I like being able to take sips of water whenever I please, instead of relying on the aid stations. During my full marathon, I would take the cap off before I got to an aid station and then someone with a gallon-sized jug of water would refill my bottle for me as needed.

4.   Go Sport ID. When you’re out on the run, there’s always a chance that an accident could happen. I have emergency contact information right on my wrist, on the backside of my Go Sport ID, in case I’m not able to communicate it myself.

I currently have the purple band on, but I have a pack of bands in various colors that I can switch out as desired. The outside of the plate is engraved with one of my favorite motivational quotes from 2 Chronicles “Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

5.   Last one, I promise. Can you tell I had a hard time choosing my favorites? My final favorite piece of running gear is my Oiselle shorts.

They fit me the way I like, and they have three pockets! I also just discovered new colors have been released, so I may have to increase my Oiselle shorts collection.

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This link-up is hosted by Amanda @ The Lady Okie and Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch. You can click the icon below to see all of the details about these monthly link-up’s.
 

What are some of your favorite running product? Or if you don’t run, what are some of your favorite workout gear items?

It finally happened. Last Friday afternoon the dogs were out back, Barry was in the living room watching TV, and I was in the bedroom packing for our weekend trip to Asheville. Barry happened to look outside and saw that Hank was actually in the chicken run. Sometimes when you glance outside, and the dogs are walking along the chicken run fence, it looks like they are inside but they’re not. This time, it wasn’t an illusion.

Barry shouted to me that Hank was in the chicken run as he headed out the back door, expecting to find dead chickens. I wasn’t far behind. You won’t believe what we found when we got out there. Six chickens pecking the ground like nothing was wrong, and one bloodhound sniffing the ground with immense interest. I gotta say, Hank really shocked me this time.

Still alive, by some miracle.

The first time we tried to introduce Hank to the chickens was when they were babies living in our garage in their brooder box. The first thing he tried to do was bite the head off of one of them. So from that time on, we have always kept the chickens and dogs separated.

We did our best to dog-proof the chicken coop and run area, in effect protecting the chickens from other types of predators as well. But I figured it was only a matter of time until the one of the dogs found a way in. Hank, especially, is so strong that if he wants to do something it’s inevitable.

Hog wire along the chicken coop, 5 foot chicken run fence, and chicken wire buried below fence to keep dogs from digging under.

Hank gained access to the chicken run area by breaking one of the ties that holds the chain link to the fence post, and squeezing between the two. He has gone under the fence once before, but ended up out in the field instead of in the chicken run. That was the time he got me tied up in a barbed wire fence. But this time he was successful. By some miracle, we still have six chickens.

I would have thought the chickens would have run into their coop to get away from him, but apparently they saw no threat. When we got out there, I opened the gate to the chicken run and Hank came trotting out. He wouldn’t come near Barry or me, because he thought he was in trouble. But the truth is, we didn’t punish him because he didn’t attack the chickens. He certainly did wrong by going under the fence and into the chicken run area, but he seemed to know he had been naughty.

Who me??

So this story has a fairytale ending. We made some adjustments in the fence to deter the dogs (see above picture where five ties now hold the chainlink to the fence post), the chickens are alive and well, and the dogs remain infinitely curious about the coop and run area. For now, we all live happily ever after. Oh and our other dog, Scout? She just watched the whole thing like nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Tell me about a time when you had something happen that could have been disastrous, but turned out alright.