I Heart My Treadmill

When I first started trying to get into shape (15 years ago!!!) I was terrified of the treadmill.  At the gym it was the last piece of equipment that I would use.  Even then it was only for walking on.  Crank up the elevation and walk, that was all it was good for.  I was completely terrified of trying to run on it.  I saw someone go flying off the back once and was convinced that would be me if I tried.  That and I'd been taunted since I was a kid that I "run like a duck" so the idea of putting myself on display in a gym running was enough to make me throw up in my mouth.  

When I started running it was all outside.  +30 to -30, weather didn't matter, I ran in it.  Very little ever stopped me.  People called me hardcore and I loved it!  Now I've been running for 53 days straight and not one of those runs has been outside.  What the hell happened?  Well, we moved to Hamilton and in a city where not one person knew me I found the bravery to run on a treadmill and guess what?  I didn't fall off!  Amazing!  That is where it began.  Most of my runs were still outside but I was warming up to the treadmill.  Then we moved back home and once again I was really shy about running where anyone could see me and this time I retreated to the treadmills in M's clinic.  I could run once all the clients were gone, it was my private treadmill.  I found my groove and moved my running back outside.  

Then came babies!  We bought our treadmill when G was 2 months old and it has saved me so many times.  I've never been strong enough to enjoy stroller running and was not comfortable running with G until he was much older.  So I took to the treadmill again.  I timed my runs with his naps.  He'd hang out in his swing and I would run.  It became so Pavlovian that he would fall asleep right away and his eyes would snap open the moment the treadmill stopped.  It worked so well.

5 years later we have a very intimate relationship.  My treadmill has seen me in tears, seen me laughing my ass off, been moved to a new house and most importantly has never been a laundry rack.  Yup, I have grown to love my treadmill.  I run while kids nap, when the kids go to bed and I'm the only parent home.  I run at times that I would not be able to without a treadmill.  

So while the treadmill suffers many names "dreadmill" and "hamstermill".  I will admit that I love my treadmill!