Running on the hamster wheel

It's 95 degrees and humid in Philadelphia, the weather I dread the most but inevitable in Philadelphia. With jet lag, there was no way I would wake up at 4 am PST for a run. My weeknights are shot already with frisbee games and book group business. It is too hot for a lunch run at the track. The indoor track at the gym is closed because the air conditioner broke. Just my luck. All acceptable options are exhausted.

So, yesterday, I stooped to the level of hamster wheel duty. It's a little weird running on the treadmill. I stride but don't go forward. I'm convinced that I can just jump up and down and land back on the moving belt beneath me.

I took the opportunity to practice running in a straight line. On the treadmill, if you let your mind wander, you can fall off. If you pay attention, every second seems longer. It's a lose-lose situation. I was bored immediately, so I played with all the buttons. Here's my "run" yesterday:

1 mile at 8:30 pace
1 mile at 8 minute pace
1 mile of hills on 4-10% incline at 8 minute pace
1.5 miles of speed at 7:30 to 6:15 pace
1/2 mile of 8 minute pace.

40+ minutes... 5ish miles... eww...