Running on the Eights: 12/23

For the past eight weeks, I've continued to confine my running to the treadmill at my local YMCA. Unfortunately, I haven't been running as often as I would have liked (which would have been every other day). And for the past week, I simply did not have the time (maybe I did, but I didn't feel like I did) to get down there for a run. To be perfectly honest, I don't really fancy running on the treadmill. For one, they usually play stinking-lousy music over the speakers in the YMCA workout room. For another, I often find myself sharing the air with people who train there while sporting very healthy colds, generously spreading their germs around in the holiday spirit! I'm also quite bored with the same old view. I prefer to be outside, covering actual distance and sucking in the wonderful outside air. But a few months ago, running on the ground contributed to a small ankle injury. So I first need to cushion my running shoes and then I will start, sticking with grass or dirt surfaces. Still, the treadmill at the Y is a convenient stop-over (very close to my home) and I'll probably continue to use it from time to time even after I resume running on the ground.

Philosophically, I want to get back into the old routine of running about a 2.5-3 mile outdoors course (not all on asphalt) and want to avoid becoming obsessed with my running times and competitiveness. That's another thing about the treadmill: I tend to get really hyped up about my times there! Well, at least it keeps me honest with my workouts, and I'll still time myself when I'm outside running as well. Here is my workout summary for the past eight weeks (all done on a treadmill surface):

DATE..DISTANCE(Miles).........TIME
11/01.........1.8........................13:53
11/06.........1.0.........................9:27
11/10.........2.0........................16:21
11/12.........2.0........................15:41
11/16.........2.0........................15:08
11/19.........2.5.........................20:41
11/24.........2.5.........................19:43
11/28.........2.7.........................20:48
11/30.........3.11.......................24:13
12/08.........1.5.........................11:28
12/12.........2.0.........................15:19
12/14.........1.0...........................7:20
12/16.........1.5..........................10:59