My whole life I have always wanted to be a runner. Now that I can say proudly that I am... I and getting very bored with just listening to music, although sometimes it really helps to pump up my energy. For the last 3 months of running on my treadmill in the basement I have put a mirror beside me so I can see the changes in my body while running to help me get through my hour of exercise.

I would love to hear any other ideas out there to help with keeping a persons mind occupied while exercising the body, especially with something so repetitive like running.

You are to be congratulated! What an awesome feeling!

As a fellow runner, my advice is to get off the treadmill and get outside! Treadmills are repetitve and it's difficult to stay motivated.

You need things to look at- trees, houses, people, dogs, storefronts, the road under your feet, etc.

Sometimes I think about what I'll make for dinner or what is on my work agenda.

Think about a phone call you had or one you have to make.

Plan for a vacation...where would you go? What will you bring?

I make "To-Do" lists in my head.

I have mental conversations with people who get to me. Then, I don't feel the need to speak directly to them and offend or put my foot in my mouth! I get it all out during a run.

As you can tell, I'm always thinking and have become quite a Scatterbrain. But, I always have a clearer perspective when I'm finished running.

Good luck!

I completely agree - get off the treadmill! I started running a few months after joining JC in January 2009, I started out walking and running on the treadmill, I signed up for a 5k in May and knew I had to do some outdoor running before then but really didn't do much, after doing the 5k I was hooked! I have since run in several other 5k's and a 5 mile run on July 4th, I am signed up for the US Marine Corp 10k in October and I love to run outdoors now. I only run on the treadmill in bad weather or if due to schedule can't get outdoors to run during daylight hours.
I live in the south, it is hot right now so I need to get my run in early in the morning before it gets hot, my husband who had knee surgery 3 years ago rides his bike behind me - we live in a historic southern town and we have run/biked through many miles of our town. I try to run at least 2 miles every day if I have time I will get in 3 or 4 miles. It is early in the morning when we run so there is very little traffic and we often run on walking/running trails where cars are not allowed. Even on vacation this summer we ran/biked everyday.
The "high" you get from an outdoor run is 100 times better than the treadmill. If you can run 3 miles - sign up for a 5k - it will motivate you!
Like Frana, my mind carries me away as I run, I take in the scenery as I run, smell the fresh flowers, trees, imagine what the occupants of the homes I run by do, enjoy looking at the landscaping and feel energized even though I am exhausted.
Find a safe place to run outdoors and give it a try but truly - find a 5k - you will get hooked too!

Guess I'll be the only vote FOR the treadmill. I travel a lot and don't feel comfortable taking jogging trails in various cities alone so for me the treadmill is my BFF!

Some of the things I do when I am at home in my own workout room:

1. Watch episodes of the biggest loser or any show that inspires me and keeps my attention. I also watch Joyce Meyer, The View, Dance your *ss off,etc you get the idea and i ONLY allow myself to watch these whiile I jog

2. Get into some kind of "series" that you could get from netfllix and only allow yourself to watch it while jogging. I used to watch "24" and I would intentionally stay behind the season so I could use this as my incentive to watch while i jog

3. Turn your ipod into a library. I download a LOT of books and that's another way to stay engaged and there have been times when I've gone longer because I wanna know what's going to happen

Now when I'm traveling and I have to use the workout centers in hotel rooms:

1. I have my ipod loaded with 2 seasons of the biggest loser and I play that

2. I do a "gratitude" jog where all I allow myself to think about is how much I have to be grateful for and I start mentally creating a gratitude list and I often start with "legs that allow me to jog". It is a very empowering feeling to give thanks to your body or maybe it's just me because I've spent so many years self loathing it's refreshing to give thanks


Some other tips:
1. Interval training where I do intermittent sprints
2. Incline interval jogging where you jog at zero incline and then take it up and then back down
3. Speed work
Basically look into runners world or do a search on the different ways to "run" and there's a lot more to do than steady state jogging to shake it up not only mentally but physically. You'll feel so much stronger after doing this.



All the best to you and congratulations on your commitment!!!


Hope

I'm doing Couch to 5K on a treadmill. This is what I'm thinking: "... OK, 2 min left of walking... now 90 jogging... 75 jogging... 60 jogging... oh god.... 45 jogging... I can do it.... "

Repeat as needed

Thanks all for the suggestions, I think I am more like Hope. I love my treadmill. I think I need to move a tv downstairs. I tried running out side a few times, I am always worried people are looking at me in a bad way. I don't like that feeling. Whereas in the basement its just me and the mirror. LOL>


Thanks again!

Sarah

Faannntabulous!!! (well . . .someone else has already used the word awesome) I'm not to the running stage but I was close to it before I began to have some issues. The TV is a great idea as is the mirror. Without a TV or my iPod I could not do it.

Congratulations to you for all that you have accomplished. It gives me a renewed spirit to hear of such marvelous things.

Hi Sarah - I'm just morphing into a runner. I've been using the free music podcasts that follow Cool Runnings Couch to 5K program - I'm just completing week 9.

I borrowed an old school treadmill that makes enough noise to raise the dead. I'm in an apartment so I put it on a double layer of interlocking foam pads.

I'm not comfortable running outside just yet, both with how I look and for safety reasons. Plus, I can run at 5:30 in the morning or 7:00 at night without having to drive to a safer part of town.

After a few weeks of looking at nothing while I ran I started taking travel dvds out of my local library to look at as I listened to the music from the podcast. If my treadmill was quieter I'd listen to the dvds as I ran but this seems to work for me - I travel while I run and the music keeps my feet moving.

I've been to Brazil, Alaska, France and Africa so far. Loving it! One day, I may get there for real, lol.

All the best in your journey!

Karen

That's a great idea- people forget about all the FREE library items. Audio Books, dvds, etc.

Determined- I posted a question regarding the C25K progress- on that thread to anyone else doing it.
I am- but I see you are WAY further into it. If you can- please post your "findings" as of week 9 and now, week 10?
Thanks in advance!!

I'm getting myself ready for next baseball season in joining a recreation league. So, I practice running the bases on a full sized field. I'll stretch out and warm up and jog a few laps around the field at first. When I begin, I start a dash from home plate to first base (as if I had a base hit)---hustle back to home. The second time, I dash from home, round first base, then stop at second (as if I hit for a double)---hustle back to home plate. Third time...sprint from home, round first base, round second base then slide into third base (triple)---hustle back to home plate. Then last, sprint and round all the bases (as if you were going for an in the park homerun)...believe me, its quite a work out!!!

I also vote FOR the treadmill. But maybe thats because I live in the suburbs of Chicago and its COOOOOOLD outside right now haha!
Well I just got a treadmill as an early Christmas present this week (Thanks Mom!!) and I subscribe to netflix. So I actually put a movie on and just start running..I get so involved in the movie and what is going on that the next thing I know I ran for 30 mins....
It distracts me from the fact that I'm running

Good luck!
Beth

I too have always wanted to be a runner. When I started at 400+ lbs that didn't seem likely but now with my losses, I have started mixing walking/jogging on a treadmill. The longest I've been able to jog is 10 minutes but usually I change up every 3-4 minutes.

My one question has to do with the stress on your body of jogging on treadmill vs outside. I've heard (although not really from trusted sources) that road running is much harder on your joints. Anyone have any advice or input on that?

Like luckysgal I'm in Chicago where it is too cold to be outside much but would love to look forward to something in the Spring.

Hey! Yeah once it gets cold I stay inside to work out...now either on my own treadmill or I head to the gym. But in the spring I run at a local forest preserve. I love being out in the fresh air when it isn't 40 degrees out

Well it kind of depends I guess...I have more of a problem running through subdivisions than on paved paths through forest preserves because around here it seems like the forest preserves keep their paved paths much nicer than streets and sidewalks in the local subdivions.
Also, I personally don't mind running on a treadmill. I know some people say it hurts joints more but really the only problem I have is with 1 heel but I have the problem whether I run inside or outside. I think I just need to get some of those heal cushions for my running shoes

Beth

I read to keep boredom away. I usually read magazines that have short tidbits or one page stories. I listen to music concurrently and sometimes I read the closed caption on the tvs at my gym. Yes, I usually do a combo of all three. The bad part is if I forget my magazine or my music, I can't run at all.

I find the treadmill much easier on my joints than running outside.