Hi guys! I hope you had a fantastic Thursday!! This week is just flying by so quickly, and my days are all off! I can’t believe it’s already Friday tomorrow! But, no complaints here! I’m always down for a Friday to rush in!
Somehow, Arkansas decided to sneak in some seriously cold winter weather as it’s been absolutely freezing cold the past few days! The sad part is it doesn’t come with any snow though! We are getting into the single digits in the windchill department and that’s just super abnormal for us here in the South! With those cold temperatures upon us, the treadmill is always my best friend in the winter season. Anyone else? I am so impressed by all the runners who don’t mind running in below freezing temps! You know the ones who get frozen eye lashes? Yeah…that’ll never be me! Now, toss me into the heat of the Summer and I can tough it out pretty well, but definitely not the winter freezing cold temps!
So, I’m pretty much always a big fan of the treadmill because it takes any and all thought out about my pace! But, while the thought goes out the window for that, my brain instantly goes to boredom after a few solid treadmill runs are in the books for me. I have to find ways to trick my brain to get me focused on something other than watching the minutes and miles slowly tick away. That’s exactly what got me to today’s post and sharing 5 ways to beat treadmill boredom! Maybe you’re just like me and can’t seem to make the minutes go by fast enough sometimes on the ol’ mill but I’ve got you covered today with a few tricks! These are my go-to’s for my treadmill workouts and there are a few different options, so each run can be different no matter what type of workout is on the schedule.
Here we go!
Creating new playlists
I’ve talked about this before and it’s one of my favorite things to do for my workouts! Playlists are just so much fun to put together, especially when I come across a new album I’ve been wanting to listen to! It seriously makes the miles pass by so quick when you run through 12 songs or so! That’s at least a guaranteed solid 30 minutes of new music to jam out to and get my run on with. I have a few different playlists for different types of workouts. I have one for speed work, one for long runs, and one for cool downs!
Running to the chorus of my playlist songs
In between dance moves and things, run to the chorus of the songs! They’re usually at least 15-20 seconds so you can add sprints in for those seconds to get in your speed work!
Listen to my favorite podcasts & audiobooks
You guys know that I’m a sucker for podcasts and audiobooks! Well, zoning out to a good podcast or book is the perfect way to get through a long run on the treadmill! Try listening to running ones that will help motivate you too while you run! I promise it works like a charm every time! One of my very favorite podcasts is “Runner’s Connect”. They interview some of the best athletes out there and also pass along the best training tips for runners of every speed/age/type! I also use Audible for my audiobooks and get a free audiobook every single month with a subscription! It’s pretty great and totally worth it!
Circuit Training
Mix things up a bit and do 1 mile on the treadmill, hop off and do some cross training then hop back on for another mile. And repeat.
Here are a few other HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts I have saved from Pinterest, you can try too:
Watch YouTube Videos or Netflix/Hulu
You’ve GOT to have something to stare at other than the wall in front of you. Whether it’s a T.V., computer, iPad, whatever– you need entertainment to survive those long miles. My favorite YouTube videos to pass time are Gilmore Girls reunion videos, Ellen interviews, or Olympic Runner’s interviews/training videos. I also pull up Netflix/Hulu when I’m really in need of some longer entertainment! You’re without a doubt guaranteed to find something to get your mind off the treadmill with that in front of you!
There are also new apps that have workouts for the treadmill that would be great, like “Aaptiv”! I’ve heard that’s an awesome app that is like having a coach in your ear while you run! Or, there’s also treadmill workout classes like the ones at Orange Theory too! So, options are there no matter what!
When all else fails and you’ve completely run out of options though–grab a friend and head to the gym! There’s nothing like good conversation to help pass the time and beat the boredom all in one!
Runners just have to do what they have to do to get those training miles in, no matter the weather and no matter the circumstances! So, I’m always excited when I find a new way to get me more motivated to head to the gym, especially when it’s absolutely FREEZING outside!
I hope these give you a few ideas of what you can do next time you’re heading to the gym! I love HIIT workouts too because they’re sure to get a sweat going in a matter of minutes which is what I crave this time of year!
Enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll talk to you tomorrow!
Questions for YOU today: (Comment below with your thoughts!)
Are you a fan of the treadmill?
What’s your favorite running workout–speed, tempo, long run, short run, etc.
What show are you hooked on right now? I’m always looking for recommendations for my next binge session! 😉