Big Wheels Keep On Turning...

Well, I'm now doing what I never thought I would be doing, and that is running on my own personal treadmill at home. (Not literally RIGHT NOW....anyway...you know what I mean).

I'm very excited. We made an eight-hour round trip to get it but I really wasn't interested in the one overpriced model the sales guy showed me at the one and only, shoebox-sized local gym equipment store. Because I made such a long trip, and asked, the store manager at the place in Utah even took a few hundred dollars off for me. Just goes to show that you should always ask...the worst they can say is no, and it made the gas expense and time getting there (almost) worth it.

The first run started out comically enough...somehow just turning it on was enough to randomly short out that circuit in our bedroom. It was apparently, however, a one time fluke. Once we flipped the circuit breaker, no more problems, and I've already gotten in three runs on the thing. Last night was rather comical. I had eleven miles scheduled, and apparently Tired Daddy sent the middle two kids upstairs to get undressed for a bath...then got distracted by shiny objects. Soon I had two naked kids in my bedroom, waiting for a bath, watching me on the treadmill. Then, two naked kids running back and forth on the other side of the room, shouting out "look! We're running on treadmills!" It was amusing, but after awhile I said "go find your Dad and ask him to give you that bath he was promising."

I also started this run around 6:45 or 7pm, due to family and time constraints. There was plenty of natural light coming in the windows and I really wasn't thinking ahead when I started. When I was about halfway through the run, the sun was starting to set. When I was about a mile from the end, I was running in total darkness. On a treadmill. Which backs up to a wall. I thought-how am I going to explain a home treadmill accident to the doctor?!? Thankfully, my oldest kiddo popped her head in the door around this time and I was able to ask her to flip the switch. Note to self-leave on a light when starting runs in the evening.

I can't say I'm converted and will never run on a road or trail again, and to the contrary, it's boring as hell on the treadmill. Still, I just can't put a price on the reduced stress and no longer having to battle it out with the transients and mountain lions outdoors in the wee morning hours, or battling it out with walkers on treadmills at the gym at night. Nothing like being able to run when I want, wearing whatever I want, and walking ten feet to the shower afterwards. And the free show from the nekkid children was pretty priceless as well.