The Running Thread--2024

[avondale]

I would love to have a power adjustable incline, though: mine is manual and a PITA.

I had no idea that "manual incline" even existed, although I suppose it makes sense.

 

[PrincessV]

I had no idea that "manual incline" even existed, although I suppose it makes sense.

Oh yes, and a bunch of the treadmills I’ve looked at today have it, too, so it’s still around! It’s not a huge ordeal: I don’t even stop the tread (though it’s safer to do so), just slow my speed, hop off, pull the little thingy that releases the height, and I can either leave it here for a steep incline or lift it to the next notch for a less steep incline. To get it flat again, I pull it up one more notch. Which wouldn’t be a big deal, expect that I do hill intervals of 30-45 seconds… that gets old real fast lol!

 

[Naomeri]

Oh yes, and a bunch of the treadmills I’ve looked at today have it, too, so it’s still around! It’s not a huge ordeal: I don’t even stop the tread (though it’s safer to do so), just slow my speed, hop off, pull the little thingy that releases the height, and I can either leave it here for a steep incline or lift it to the next notch for a less steep incline. To get it flat again, I pull it up one more notch. Which wouldn’t be a big deal, expect that I do hill intervals of 30-45 seconds… that gets old real fast lol!

My “manual incline” is even worse than that; if I actually want to use it, I have to lift the base and flip the little feet to the desired amount of incline, and then spin some little supports in another spot. I don’t use the incline at all, because it’s only got 1 or 2 degrees, so it’s just enough to be annoying, not helpful.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I have a sole that I like, but I would in no way call it small or light. Echoing what others have said about buying from somewhere that will do delivery and setup for you.

 

[PrincessV]

Good news! I found that buying via Dick’s or Amazon, there are options for delivery (at least on a few models I looked at, maybe all?) ranging from leave it wherever to bring it to my door, to deliver it inside, to bring it and set it up. IDK if I missed that when buying my indoor cycle, or if it wasn’t an option for that.

But I’m still hoping the lubricant will eke out some more use on my ancient treadmill. (Watch that be the thing that finally kills it: it’s clearly thrived thus far on benign neglect.)

 

[michigandergirl]

Good news! I found that buying via Dick’s or Amazon, there are options for delivery (at least on a few models I looked at, maybe all?) ranging from leave it wherever to bring it to my door, to deliver it inside, to bring it and set it up. IDK if I missed that when buying my indoor cycle, or if it wasn’t an option for that.

But I’m still hoping the lubricant will eke out some more use on my ancient treadmill. (Watch that be the thing that finally kills it: it’s clearly thrived thus far on benign neglect.)

You might be better off ordering the treadmill from Dick's rather than Amazon. In January of 2021, I ordered a NordicTrack Commercial treadmill from Amazon. A third party carrier was to deliver it and they were supposed to call me one day ahead of delivery. For weeks I kept getting emails that the delivery was delayed. Amazon gave me the contact info for the third party carrier and after multiple phone calls from me and Amazon, one day they claimed that it had been delivered. It clearly had not been delivered to me! I still wonder if some lucky person received that treadmill on my dime! Fortunately, Amazon was great about refunding my money.

I ended up buying the same treadmill from Dick's. I could of had them deliver it, but I was leery of going that route again, so we picked it up and my hubby & sons muscled it into the basement.

FWIW, that was my fiasco experience.

 

[flav]

May 2024 totals
Distance: 200.2km (120mi)
Average pace: 6m34s/km (10:35min/mi)
YTD: 908km on 2024km

May.

My FIL passed away mid-month. So a lot of sad moments, we put our energy where it was important.

Running wise, we ran the peak of the training plan, started tapering and abruptly shifted focus, a week before we were supposed to run a marathon.

We received great support on that aspect. My uncle drove to Ottawa, picked up our bibs and T-shirts and successfully transferred our race to virtual!

We got kind words and thoughtful advice both from @DopeyBadger and from my physio therapist. The conclusion being that physically we are good to go run a marathon, emotionally, it is for us to look inside us and respectfully acknowledge that we had a lot to handle.

We luckily found a race very close to our home for the next weekend. Coincidentally, the theme is perfect, the same uncle is a retired fireman who raised money for that severely burnt cause all his career. So, we just registered to the Course des pompiers de Laval ().

I wonder what the organizers think of people who register to a marathon a few days before…

Hence, Marathon coming up in June, for fun and not to waste that amazing training

 

[azrivest]

We luckily found a race very close to our home for the next weekend. Coincidentally, the theme is perfect, the same uncle is a retired fireman who raised money for that severely burnt cause all his career. So, we just registered to the Course des pompiers de Laval ().

I guess I'll see you there? I'm doing the Half on Sunday. The half starts two hours after the full so we might end up finishing around the same time.

All my thoughts and condolences to you and your husband

 

[PrincessV]

But I’m still hoping the lubricant will eke out some more use on my ancient treadmill. (Watch that be the thing that finally kills it: it’s clearly thrived thus far on benign neglect.)

FTR, that was supposed to be a JOKE. But lubing the 26yo treadmill? Did indeed kill it. Indirectly. IDK if this model was never supposed to be lubricated (there were no instruction for that in the user’s manual), or I used too much, or it was just too late and too old for that, but the lubricant I put under the belt somehow found its way to the top of the belt, bubbling up at the spot where the belt ends are fused together. I then spent almost 3 hours trying to clean up the mess, eventually putting a small towel between the belt and deck and running the tread at low speed. Which was working a treat! Right up to the point when I realized I couldn’t let go of the towel at either end, and thus had no hand free to turn the thing off. I should have called me son to come help… but instead I let go of one towel end, turned it off… and yes, lost the towel, which became wedged around the roller at the end.

Fun fact: treadmill belts can’t be pushed the opposite direction. At least this one couldn’t. So I couldn’t free the towel any other way than removing the end caps to get at the bottom roller… and once the caps were removed, the roller felt out entirely. Spent a stupid amount of time trying to get the roller back in place, the end caps back on, and guessing where the green grounding wire was supposed to attach, because it was now free, before my son called the audible, stating the obvious, “Mom - it’s 26 years old: it’s times to let it go.”

So I did. And that was stupidly hard! That darned treadmill has been with me longer than my child, my job, and almost every other item in my house. It’s seen me through post-pregnancy, more races than I can count, and every stressful crisis over that quarter century. It was no quitter, that ProForm 385ex!

So, that’s that. I now need to figure out how to dispose of this thing, hopefully for free. I know I can take the bulk of it apart, because my then-husband and I put it together ourselves in the first place. I’m not so sure I can disconnect the deck from the motor, though - that’s the prohibitively heavy part. We’ll see. My weekend project will be figuring that out and shopping for a new one. I found that the Dick’s near me carries NO treadmills, so no point in going there in person, and they, along with every treadmill manufacturer if buying directly, use 3rd party companies to deliver, so I’m just gonna have to take my chances!

Anyway, that’s where this saga sits for now.

 

[accm]

@PrincessV I'd try posting online to see if anyone is interested. The motor must still be worth something to someone who can do something with it, so maybe someone would come and get it for you? Or you can ask whoever delivers the new one if they can take it for you.

That treadmill lived a long life!

 

[accm]

I love my shokz for running outside. But I'm in the market for new headphones for working out inside, and just general use. Should be simple enough, but I hate the feeling on my current airpods in my ear while I'm working out.
Are there any good over the head headphones with good sound, and that wouldn't move around while running/working out?

 

[PrincessV]

@PrincessV I'd try posting online to see if anyone is interested. The motor must still be worth something to someone who can do something with it, so maybe someone would come and get it for you? Or you can ask whoever delivers the new one if they can take it for you.

Exactly my thoughts. Step one is see how much of it I can take apart, and then try throwing it on FB Marketplace for free to anyone who has the means of taking it down stairs. I also might be able to bungee cord it to a dolly I can borrow from work and get it down the stairs myself. And if all that fails, offer cold, hard cash to whoever delivers a new one to make it go away lol!

Are there any good over the head headphones with good sound, and that wouldn't move around while running/working out?

My son has been using cheap Sony Bluetooth headphones for years - he’s autistic and wears them for many hours at a time and finds them to be comfortable. I’ve tried them and can vouch for good sound quality, too! Not sure how much sweat they can handle, though.

 

[Dopey 2020]

A good month, a couple long runs, taper, marathon #12 complete, and a very short recovery to get back to a normal running schedule for most of the next few couple months. We have a cruise (Disney Magic inaugural to Lighthouse Point ) coming up which may put a damper on June miles but I’ll try to hit my goals.

@flav I’m sorry, it’s never easy

 

[PrincessV]

@flav , I’m so sorry for your loss.

 

[PrincessV]

I have a follow-up treadmill question: it occurs to me that I maybe don’t need a folding treadmill - 90% of the time, it’s going to sit in one place, fully open. But 10% of its life, I’ll need it to move a bit to access a seldom-used closet behind it. How hard is it to scooch a non-foldable treadmill within a room? The room is carpeted, but I have Super Sliders - in theory I could lift it enough to slide those under??

 

[The Expert]

I have a follow-up treadmill question: it occurs to me that I maybe don’t need a folding treadmill - 90% of the time, it’s going to sit in one place, fully open. But 10% of its life, I’ll need it to move a bit to access a seldom-used closet behind it. How hard is it to scooch a non-foldable treadmill within a room? The room is carpeted, but I have Super Sliders - in theory I could lift it enough to slide those under??

When we had to maneuver our treadmill into a room (it came from a factory outlet already assembled -- it folded but and only fit through the door laying down), we put a big blanket under it and used that to drag it around at the weird angles required. We were worried about sliders scratching, but I'm sure they would also have worked.

 

[SarahDisney]

My FIL passed away mid-month. So a lot of sad moments, we put our energy where it was important.

I'm so sorry for your loss . Grief is hard, and it's hard to know what is and isn't right for you at any point in the process. I'm glad you were able to acknowledge that it wasn't the right time to run your marathon andI'm glad you were able to find another race and will get a victory lap for all that training!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

So sorry for your loss, @flav

 

[Guidman]

My condolences @flav. I'm very sorry for your loss.

May Running
145.4 miles
7:50 avg/mile

Just treaded water after a half at the beginning of the month. It was nice to not have to worry about any distances for a few weeks. That comes to an end soon, Chicago training starts in another week.

Since they were mentioned here recently, Spring Energy is under a bit of controversy now. Their one gel was independently tested a few times and the nutrition results weren't in the ballpark of what is labeled.

https://run.outsideonline.com/nutri...ring-energys-most-popular-gel-under-scrutiny/

 

[dobball23]

May Totals

Running
Runs: 14
Miles: 108.18
Time: 14:43:41
Avg Pace: 8:10

YTD Miles: 800.22
Last 12 months miles: 1,983.23

This was my lowest mileage in a month since January 2023. I started off well (~103 miles through May 17), but ran into a sickness following a cruise that knocked me out for more than a week and prevented me from running for two weeks. I did do a run of 10+ miles at Castaway Cay, though!