mental games for the treadmill

riley0003 · Jan 24, 2008

Hello, 
What mental games do you play to get through a treadmill workout? 
I listen to specific playlists that are really upbeat 
Only allow myself to look at the odometer once every song 
Play with the TV remote thingy 
Have specific inclines for specific intervals (ie raise .5 for every 5 minutes) 
Mentally continue arguments with my staff 
Watch VH1 on the TV monitor and imagine myself as having a sexy tummy like the singers on there 
any other suggestions? 
Susan

OrangeMat · Jan 24, 2008

I think I posted this once before....in a different life.... on a different forum.... <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> 
Start off at a slower speed than my comfortable cruising speed, like maybe 6mph. After 1 minute, up the speed by .1mph. After 2 minutes, up it by .1 again. After 3 minutes, up it once more. Lather, rinse, repeat. Play mental math games trying to figure how fast I'd be going after 30 minutes, while I'm still on minute 4 (can't do math in my head for beans, and I was a math major in college!). 
You can also play this numbers game using the fractal series (math major, remember? duh). You get the series of numbers this way: 0+1=1, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+5=8, 5+8=13, etc. So you'd up the speed .1 mph after 1 minute, then after 2 minutes, then after 3, 5, 8, 13, etc. Then again, spend useless brain time and energy trying to extrapolate how fast you'd be going after a particular amount of time, or how far you will have run, or how long it would take you to get to a particular speed. Hopefully by then, either you'd either be done with your run or your brain will have exploded! 
Needless to say, I don't like the TM very much.

old guy · Jan 24, 2008

I try to visualize myself on a 5 1/2 mile loop I run from my home. 
e.g. Iv'e been on here for 10 minutes , I'm starting up the steep hill now. or...I've been on here for 20 minutes now, so I'm passing the cemetery at the top of the hill. I can't stop now, I'm running downhill! 
But, sometimes I stop (because I can). Not sure how I get home.

Pie Jones · Jan 25, 2008

I don't run on a treadmill as I'm quite certain it would inspire the mental game of "Russian roulette."

theia · Jan 25, 2008

I try to simulate being in a race by allowing myself water at each mile marker (unless I'm truly dying of thirst before I get to a mile). 
Intervals and/or hill repeats make the time go by way faster. Anything where I'm changing the workout every 1/4 mile or so makes the workout seem so much shorter. 
Good tunes are a must.

rosecoloredglasses · Jan 25, 2008

one word: 
solarmixes

Hemerocallus · Jan 25, 2008

To push myself, I often mentally regress back to high school and visualize runs on the competition track, usually chasing my long time nemesis from the school across town, or being cheered on by my old coach. If he only knew I was still picturing him with those cheesey early 70's sideburns and Adias track suit <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">. 
Or on easy runs, I'll visualize running either our cottage road or doing loops of the local park where I grew up. 
Gotta do something......our TMs are facing a mirror, and I just HATE the view!!

dromedary · Jan 25, 2008

Interesting tips...I tend to do what OrangeMat does most of the time (I'm an engineer). 
Lately, I seem to be on the treadmill at the same time as a coworker. He is a retired Air Force officer and was stationed in Southeast Asia, so he has some very interesting stories. He doesn't mind that I just say "uh huh" and let him do all the talking. A half hour just disappears and I learn something new all the time.

Tamster · Jan 25, 2008

ACK!! That's terrible placement of the TM's! I don't think I'd want to ever use the TM if I were forced to just see myself running. I'd develop this huge complex of what a dorky runner I really am. By not being able to see what I look like when I run, I can envision that I'm this superfit and effortless gazelle-like runner . . .

breger1 · Jan 25, 2008

Set the speed at a nice easy pace, work up a bit of a sweat, wait for some young stud (or studette) to get on the TM next to you. Then adjust the speed to always go just slightly faster than they do. Then just keep going (we are the long distance runners right?). 
Most normal TM people will stop/die/jump off/walk after about 3 or 4 miles of this. Settle back into that nice easy pace. As OrangeMat said "Lather, rinse and repeat". 
(I'm such a twit. Gotta pass the time somehow.) <img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif"> 
Bill

tomwhite · Jan 25, 2008

.....that's why I take my glasses off//.......I'm lucky if I can See the TM..... 
....although I did wind up 
in the Ladies Locker Room 
a coupla times....

mcsolar99 · Jan 25, 2008

ahhhh, swoon... i'm in love.... <img alt="love10.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/love10.gif">

Dennis · Jan 25, 2008

I ran 18 miles on a TM in 2 of the last 3 weekends. 
1. I turn off the displays for miles and time to avoid being obsessed and watching. 
2. I do try to simulate marathon by taking fluids and gels on a schedule. 
3. I will from time to time vary pace slightly just to shake it up. 
4. My son's IPOD did help with last weekends run.

Hemerocallus · Jan 25, 2008

Yea Tam, and that's not the worst of it....... the mirrors are on three sides, so that with a slight glance off to the side, under those unforegiving fluorescent lights, you can get a good view of ALL the flaws. At least we have TVs in front of each (up just a little too high), but no cable, so the choice is Oprah, or staring at my own saggy bewbs for 4-5 miles!!<img alt="uhoh2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/uhoh2.gif"> 
The ipod is a HUGE help.

evanflein · Jan 25, 2008

That's what I do! My treadmill at home faces the downstairs picture window... so I get a lovely view of the yard and neighbors' house across the road... and the city lights in the distance. But I always think in terms of the "course" I'm running. If it's 5 miles, I'll go from my parent's house to the church and back. I've done that course so many times (standard summer lunch-time fare), I know just where I should be when. If it's a long run, I imagine I'm on whatever spot of the Equinox marathon course, sometimes (note... sometimes) upping the incline to match. 
I've never gotten stranded, OldGuy.... not sure how to help you there! 
As for the mirrors, man that's just cruel. It's like watching yourself talk... have you done that? Ohhhh, that's just bad. In Vegas last summer, I had to "watch" myself run... on an angle no less. Realized I needed a new bra...

jura · Jan 25, 2008

It depends which gym I am in. In my old gym the treadmills are upstairs and you can see the weightroom below. I like to watch what other people are doing for their workouts. When I get bored with that, I can look in the mirror which is on the far wall (short glimpses) or watch TV. The biggest asset of this gym is that it also have an indoor track, which I prefer over the TM. When I work out there I go on the track and when I see a free TM I jump on it for a "short hill" to mix it up. 
My newer gym is also on the second floor and overlooks the pool. I enjoy watching what goes on in the pool, or watch TV. The treadmills are much better here, but there is no track. Mp3 helps... 
j

RunsTheBitterroot · Jan 25, 2008

My TM faces a window where there is a nice view. I plug in my MP3 player, listen to music. Sometimes have to vary the speed or incline to avoid boredom. I normally won't go over 5 miles on the tm, but I have gone as much as 16. I have also taken the tm outside on the deck. It seems to be good for doing reps from time to time or other forms of speed work/play. Just talking about the TM is kind of boring! Larry

jura · Jan 25, 2008

Yep!

mcsolar99 · Jan 25, 2008

ok, here's my (twisted) view: 
embrace the boredom. 
a treadmill is hypnotic. it's really a meditative state for me. on most treadmill runs my heart rate stays at exactly the same bpm... doesn't even vary by +/- 1. i can set the rate to a constant value, and then my speed doesn't vary either. no curbs or rocks or cacti to dodge. my breathing is constant. 
i try to go deep inside my body, and i try not to think at all, just to observe... kind of like meditating while running. i can feel my muscles and how they work together, i can sense exactly how my breathing rhythm goes. i can feel my toes, how they curl upwards, flatten on footstrike, and push off on toe-off. i can feel the air rush past my elbows, and vary their position to minimize air-drag. i can even focus on how the sweat runs down my body. 
you can observe your thoughts and watch them change... but don't get caught up in them. stay in the moment. 
there are no distractions... it's pure running. use it.<img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

riley0003 · Jan 25, 2008

I agree with you, McSolar. I do the same thing and mostly I think about my footfalls and the path my sweat is making down my back. And I like the fact that I can stop to use the bathroom if necessary! Also, if my run is going really badly, I can hop off and do something else instead, like rowing or elliptical. 
Things I don't like about it -- the unvarying scenery (except for the TV) and the fact that it's usually pretty warm in my gym. I also hate it if I don't get one of my 3 favorite treadmills. There are about 15 or so, but only 3 of them have closed captioning on the attached TVs. 
Susan

mental games for the treadmill

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