It is a typical evening in Kuala Lumpur as I
make my way out of the office with my gym bag on my shoulder. The weather
doesn't permit me to run around the lovely KLCC Park.
But as
my marathon is a month away, I can't afford to miss my scheduled run.
Reluctantly, I head for the gym and get on the treadmill.
As I
unwillingly pound the "boredom belt" and blankly stare at the numbers
on the console in front of me, I fight the temptation to press the stop button
before reaching my desired distance. Although my planned workout is a mere 5km
tempo run, it seems to take forever. In all honesty, I'm not enjoying a single
second of the run.
Treadmill torture
With
the exception of a 21km run I did in a hotel gym in Bangkok back in 2010
(advised to stay in to avoid the Red Shirt street protests, the furthest I have
managed to run on a treadmill before losing my sanity, is 10km.
That is
equivalent to an hour of running, like a hamster in a sweaty gym, in front of
mindless TV torture.
I
absolutely dislike treadmills. For me, running is about enjoying the great
outdoors. It's about feeling the wind blowing against my skin, seeing a hill
emerging before me and knowing that I have to climb that hill.
There
are none of these joys when I step on a treadmill.
Overcoming boredom
Since
it has been raining frequently in the evenings of late, I'm forced to do my
weekday runs on treadmills. Whether I like it or not, I need to get over the
mental block that stops me from enjoying the machines.
Lately,
I've started to slowly discover ways to make my treadmill experience endurable,
psychologically. Allow me to share some of the tried and true methods of
beating the boredom of an indoor run.
• Run
with a friend: These days, almost all my treadmill runs are done with a friend
next to me. It's a great way to sidetrack my attention from the continuous
pounding of my feet on the rubber belt while catching up on the latest gossip.
• Hill
or interval speed workout: Rather than running at constant speed, I mix my run
with hard and easy efforts. Varying the elevation and speed of the treadmill
breaks up the monotony. It is an effective method to keep my mind off the clock
and keep myself engaged in my run. I sometimes think of my run as a simulation
of hill repeats or interval workout, minus the gorgeous outdoor scenery.
• Zone
out: It's not easy to stop staring at the treadmill console. Watching the
numbers change slowly tends to drive me crazy. Recently a friend taught me how
to ignore the screen by covering it with my gym towel and simply lose myself in
the rhythm of my breathing or pounding feet. I was surprised by the result of
this simple trick. By blocking out everything around me, I enter a peaceful and
relaxing state of mind.
• Run
with music: I enjoy listening to the sounds of nature. But in a gym, I'm often
distracted by the loud sounds of the surroundings.
By
plugging my ears into my iPod, I get to use my favourite music playlist to
assist my running cadence, as well as keep the boredom away.
No substitute
Although
I'm still struggling to appreciate the treadmill, the good thing is that I
think I'm getting better at it.
I know
that once I've mastered the art of running on treadmills, my runs will become a
lot easier and I'll be able to stay on longer than I thought possible.
Hopefully, the improved mental strength will be an advantage when it comes to
completing those tough runs or races outside.
Having
said that, I will only save the machines for unavoidable occasions, for
instance when it's raining or when I'm trying to squeeze in a lunchtime
workout.
In any
case, I am a strong believer that treadmills are no substitute for
"proper" running and I will never miss the myriad joys of running in
the great outdoors.
Shanaz
Shamsuddin
New
Straits Times
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