the benefits and drawbacks of a treadmill

i simultaneously love and hate my treadmill. yep, it's true. and it's a surprisingly almost equal love-hate relationship.


i hate that it's so boring and not completely accurate. i hate that it's hot and there's no moving air like there is outside and when i get off i get that weird feeling of moving, while not moving. i hate that i end up staring at the stupid screen and watching the moments tick by, even when i try not to. and the times when i throw a towel over it are torturous for a totally different reason. it's mentally tough running for 3 or 4 miles and not actually going anywhere. 


i love that i can run while my kids are all home. i love that even though my husband goes to work before 5:00 every morning i can still do an early morning run without ever having to leave any of my kids. i love that i can set a pace and keep it. on the treadmill you either keep up or fall off. you can't slow down without realizing it so if you set the pace to do a 8 minute mile you do an 8 minute mile or very consciously choose to slow the pace. it makes me push harder. i love that i can easily keep track of my time and distance. i love that i can run while watching t.v. . . . not usually, but every now and then.


overall, best large workout equipment purchase i have ever made. i've already put over 200 miles on it and don't plan on stopping any time soon.