Date: 4/17/22
Training Day: 133
Miles: 6.1 + 7.1 (treadmill)
Time: 3 hrs, 7 min total
Shoes: Altra Paradigm 5

How It Felt: The one steep hill on the first run felt awesome! I kicked up the pace during the second run, and it was surprisingly easier than I expected and felt great.

Commentary: This fair weather runner looked at the forecast in Idaho Falls, Boise and Salt Lake City and decided to run on the treadmill. This was not an easy decision for me since I hate the treadmill for long runs. As I sat on the chaise with a cat in my lap and playing Battle Cats I had an epiphany – I can break my looooong run up into two long-ish runs!

My sweet kitten stayed on my lap for 3.5 hours, so I didn’t get up off the chaise until 10:30am. Then I realized I should probably eat something before running for an hour and a half. Unwisely, I ate a bowl of tots (so happy to have an air fryer again!), waited a mere 30 minutes, and then jumped on the treadmill.

Through most of the run I burped up little bits of tots mixed with water. Yuck! Usually when the incline goes up more than 1% I lower it. Since all my runs so far were easy runs, I was severely lacking on moderate intensity work. So, I powered through the steep-ish hill. And by powered through I mean I jogged at a mere 3 mph at 6.5% incline for the ten-minute climb. But it felt so good!

After taking a 45-minute break, I hopped back on the treadmill. I didn’t get too much moderate-intensity work during the first run because I was going to slow up the hills. About 30 minutes in I picked up the pace to get into Zone X. An hour into the run Tommy Rivs picked up the pace for ten minutes, and then picked it up again for another five minutes. The last five minutes of fast (ish) were tough, but totally doable. I felt fucking amazing afterwards! The higher intensity running also made the run go by faster somehow.

Runs on the treadmill longer than an hour usually leave my feet quite sore. This time I got smart and wore my cushy road Altras, and my feet felt fine afterwards. I did have a wee niggle in my left hip, but nothing too crazy. All in all, I was quite pleased with my runs, and even happier with the distance I covered.

I will say though, the next time I buy a treadmill, I’m getting one with decline. One of the great things about running outside is working hard going up, and taking it easy and quick on the subsequent downhill. With my treadmill I don’t get that. I never really ever get to take it easy. Sure, it’s better training overall, but I also need to get my downhill legs strong because the last ten-ish miles of Beaverhead are downhill.

Anyway, these long runs proved to me that I can get lots of miles in on the treadmill if I need to. I still prefer to do my long runs outside on trails, but it’s nice to know I have another option that won’t leave me miserable.

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