Perhaps it was because I had the speed up too fast (4.7) or was holding onto the handle so the thing could take my pulse, but damn my shins hurt after a two mile run (sometimes walk) initial treadmill experience! I was sweating like a freshly bred stallion, soaking every piece of clothing as if I'd been dunked in the pool I so longingly wanted to go swimming in. Staci said I went too fast as I was supposed to take it easy but I was only trying to find a speed I actually had to jog. Anything less made me only want to walk. But the jogging part also had me losing my balance, hence the holding on part (listening to my iPod and trying to watch the Georgetown-Louisville b-ball game while jogging on a foreign piece of equipment must have thrown my balancing center off guard). She went on to say I was leaning too far forward resulting in my shins taking the brunt of the G-forces from my 1/8th ton frame.
I don't think I was leaning so far forward, it didn't feel like I was but I think I'll stick to running the track even though I'll miss the little beacon telling me how far I was going around the imaginary track on the treadmill display. Supposedly I was cranking out a 12 and change minute mile but the walking interludes most certainly added to that given my shins were screaming in agony. Plus, the gym was packed with treadmill and elliptical users. So much so that we had to wander about for ten minutes before we found two side-by-side to use. Staci did it right by walking a bit to warm up. I was more concerned about how to turn the bloody thing on and started running as soon as I got the speed set to what I thought was "easy". After less than a "lap" I was already beginning to sweat off Saturday nights beer/wine/liquor intake. By half a mile it was dripping freely into my eyes. By a mile I was using my sweat rag to wipe off the handles and my arms. Not long after I dropped it mistakenly by my feet and off it flew behind me. I thought for surely I'd follow soon afterward.
It was here I had to take a "breather" and walk for a bit, dropping the speed to 2.7. Sweat was pouring off me like rain drops onto the tread and I began to wonder if the slickness would cause my ultimate embarrassment by having my feet go out from under me at any moment. I walked for half a "lap" then sped the thing up again to ramming speed. I dropped it back down again to a walking pace once my shins alerted me that at any moment they would snap like dry kindling. A quarter "lap" this time. As the pain subsided I'd go back to jogging, 3/4's of a lap this go round. This went on for the whole second mile but finally I was over this whole treadmill experience and set the damn speed to 5.something so I could get the 2 miles in and get off the stupid thing.
It was odd to see a Hijab-wearing Muslim girl waiting to take my place on it, but only after I wobbly-wiped the contraption down. I can only imagine the thoughts going through her head as this big fat sweaty American tried in vain to do so. By the looks of me, how could it be too hard to overthrow a nation so full of a bunch of gun-toting weebles? I just hope for my sake the Koran doesn't have anything about mandatory use of treadmills if that ever came to pass!
Staci finished soon after and was not at all as stiff as I was when walking back to the car, so conveniently parked over a block away. She drove as I suffered. She had made a big bottle of Xtend for us to share when we got home, so that was a God-send. A light dinner soon followed after a shower since it was after 8 pm. Then I giggled to a few Family Guy episodes before calling it a night. Sleep was instantaneous.
Today is an off day and my shins need it. Surprisingly, my calf and hip issues aren't as noticeable as before. Maybe because I have new issues that supersede them? Regardless, I'm gonna use this day to re-stock the fridge and rest me weary bones before the increase to 2.5 miles on Wednesday. Ugh! And to think we go 3 miles for Saturdays run! I'd better get a move on--get busy running or get busy learning Arabic!
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