Ideas to make the boring treadmill less boring?

Good morning all.  I was wondering if anyone has any input on how to make the the morning treadmill routine any more interesting or slightly less boring?  Currently I'm up at 5 in the morning for my 40 minutes on the treadmill at the gym.  I do enjoy the exersize and feel great afterward, but it's so monotonous.  There are tv's all over the gym and I usually have my mp3 player blasting 80's metal (today was The Cult, awesome!).  I've only been exersizing since July and have lost 104 pounds since May. When the weather warms up I plan on biking and now jogging outside.  So, any ideas or suggestions for music would be appreciated!  Thanks.

First, congratulations! That is awesome.

Once you can be outside, things will be better (I am currently living in Chicago and if the weather cooperates I get outside to run MAYBE once a week).

For now, try mixing in some other activities at the gym.  I'm sure it's not terribly busy at 5 am, right? AND you'll only get stronger and more fit by using different muscle groups. 

Warm up on the treadmill for 20 and switch to a bike.  Ride at an easy pace for 4 minutes and then max out for 1 minute, repeating  Both will go by fast.

Try taking 3 short breaks from the treadmill (at say, 12, 24, and 36 minutes) and doing some circuit training.  Lunges, ab work, weights, whatever suits your fancy.  This will break up the running and is an even better workout.

After my first Chicago winter, I bought a gym-quality elliptical for my apartment (Got a last-year's floor model for $750) and I really love it.  I LOVE that I can work out at home while dinner is in the oven or while I watch Lost and it is definitely not as limiting as I thought.  I use it forwards and backwards and i use light hand weights sometimes, too. I went to the gym for years, but I learned enough over those years that I can now do plenty of training at home.

Also, maybe there is some tv series rerun at 5 am that you could get into.  I know that sounds goofy, but anything that will distract is worth a shot.

Also, how about books on tape?  I listened to David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty on Day earlier this year.  Hilarious! That could last you a whole week!

 

 

 

Books on tape is an excellent idea. There are tv's all over my gym as well..I have an iPOD and have a few different playlists on there.  Feel free to email me for my lists.

Hi there - Congratulations on the awesome progress you've made!  That's fantastic!

I ran into the same problem with boredom on the treadmill, then I came across the plan in the article below.  I love it, it keeps things moving and I don't get bored, my time on the treadmill goes by a lot faster now.  Good luck! 

http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/walk-of f-inches-faster/aad08937c120d110VgnVCM2000001 2281eac____/fitness/walking/walking.goals/wal king.for.weight.loss

I would like to toss my congratulations out there as well.  That is incredibile.  I have no music advice for you.  I don't run with an iPod.  Good news is once you get up to some longer distances outside (1-2 hours), 40 minutes on the treadmill will seem like nuthin! (if you decide to run that long)

Congrats on your weight loss!!!

I'd suggest doing some different running 'work outs'. For myself my mind stays occupied if I have some strategy for the work out rather than just running straight. For example, a speed work run you might warm up for 10 minutes and then up your speed to a sprint for one minute, recover for 4 and up your speed again for 1 minute. Or you can use the incline. I'll sometimes increase the incline by 1% for every minute for 5 consecutive minutes and then bring it down again for a recovery. 

Thanks everybody for the advice and the kudos as well!  I never thought of the books on tape idea.  It would be interesting to try.  I do plan on mixing in weight and strength training, but probably not for another few weeks.  My goal is to lose a total of 125 and be in the middle of the healthy range for my BMI.  I know that as I start to shift away from all cardio to a mix of that and strength training, the weight loss will slow and stop.  175 would be a nice place to hang out for a while (so I hear).  I've thought about speed and incline changes but wasn't sure how to go about it.  My 1st goal is to be able to run at a 10 minute mile pace for the entire session.  I've been working my speed up by .1 mph every week.  I'm at 5.4mph right now.  Started last year with being able to jog for only 90 seconds!  I was going to start to vary the speed from 5.4 and add .1 mph each minute for 5 minutes and then back down to 5.4 and repeat.  Does that seem like to little?  Thanks again for the responses!

I'd say as long as you find it challenging and interesting then do what every your feel like at the time. When I started running I tried all sorts of different combinations.

You've come a long way! My bf was like you when he started running and he could only run for 30 seconds before needing to walk - now he runs ultra marathons ... keep at it and anything's possible!

Running short sprints and my IPOD keeps it from being boring plus it will blast the fat right off. 

Warm up for 5 minutes at a slow pace, then run at a moderate pace for 3 -5 minutes ( I usually do 5.7 - 6 mph), then step off the treadmill while it is running, up the speed +1 mph (I take it up to 7 mph), jump back on and run for 20 seconds, hop back off using the rails for stability, increasing the speed another .3 -.5, hop back on and run 20 seconds, off for 10.  Keep increasing the speed each sprint for 6 sprints up, and then decrease for 6 sprints working your way back down to your moderate running level.  Run for another 3 - 5 minutes and then do a 5 minute cooldown.

You will shock yourself as to how fast you can physically run.  I finally got up to 10 mph last week but I had to work my way up over a few weeks.  The upside to this workout is you'll keep your heart rate up very high even when you are resting so you'll burn more fat.  I lost 10 lbs in January by doing this 2 to 3 times a week plus weights 2 or 3 times a week.

I don't think in coordinated enough to jump on and off the moving treadmill!  I tried doing interval training like that a few months ago and it almost killed me.  I can see how it is so effective, but it just kicked my butt. I was doing 10mph sprints for 30 seconds and walking fast for 90 for 20 minutes.

When I really don't feel like going to the gym, I bring a book to read (either for pleasure or for one of my classes). I set the resistance really high so I can't move as fast, because it's hard to read when you're running at a fast pace. 

Also, I don't know how cold it is where you live, but I find it enjoyable running outside even when it's cold. Bundle up - wear gloves, a headband that covers your ears, leggings under pants, under armour, a fleece, etc. 

Good luck!

It was 4 F this morning.  Thats cold, too cold

I play solitaire on my iPod, or Tetris on my phone.

Get yourself some Pendulum (Showdown, Slam, Tarantula, Granite, Blood Sugar) and blast it as you tread.  Other suggestions include the Spor remix of Stompbox (the Qemists) and One Night in Bangkok (Vinylshakerz remix).

i have also been working on fighting treadmill boredom.

one thing i read and have been trying lately is pushing a button every 1/4 mile, so either change the grade or speed.  i will push the grade up and drop the speed and then bump the speed up by 1/2 mph and then drop grade and then bump speed up another 1/2 mph again and variations of this.

also, i have been using the soundtrack from Run Lola Run or other similar albums and varying the grade or pace based on the music that is on.

here are a couple sites you may want to check out too -

Podrunner mixes

Runner's World Videos (click on the treadmill link to the left)

Runner's World Article 

and, also great job on your progress so far!  that is awesome!

I don't think I can advise on music, everyone has different tastes.  I have a treadmill at home.  I like to up the incline by two every two minutes, go for about 4 minutes at the top, then go back down the other way.  I prefer this to the interval training that is preset because I'm more actively involved.  Also I listen to my ipod, whatever I'm in the mood for, usually old stuff :)

Congrats on all the weight loss.  That's fantastic!

Wow!  Awesome weight loss and good for you!  Congrats!

...and really I have no great advice.  I hate loath and despise my treadmil but it's a necessary evil when the snow and ice are on the roads.  I do hill training and interval training just to break up the monotony.  It seems to help. I also try to time if for a time that there's going to be something on the TV that will hold my interest.  (I have a treadmill at home so I have this option)

I talked to a friend the other day who trained for a half marathon, all on her treadmill.  I couldn't believe it!  I can't get myself to go over an hour on the stupid thing but wish me luck cuz I'm gonna try for an hour and a half tonight.  We got more snow...sigh!

I usually get pretty bored on the treadmill or stationary bike too, and I can't really watch TV without being bored either. Sometimes it works for me to put some videos I've never seen before on my iPod, because I think the repetition and commercials on TV are what bore me. When I'm on the bike, I usually read a book.

I'm probably really not working hard enough, but the only thing (besides certain songs) that can sustain me on a treadmill is talking on the phone... I use my earpiece and gossip away... it's difficult but I have a buddy who will stay on the phone with me the entire time even while I'm huffing and puffing away. lol also I have my own treadmill, I don't think I'd talk on the phone at the gym...

kind of late on a reply but i started to do intervals of 30 second sprints and minute & 1/2 recovery on the treadmill and it seemed to distract me from just counting down the seconds to when the run was over...

I've duct taped a portable DVD player to my treadmill and watch 1 hour TV shows. I've treadmilled (is that a word???) to or through Season 3 and 4 of CSI, and Season 1 and now Season 2 of Boston Legal. Without commercials, the 1 hour shows are 40-45 minutes long, and it's much more entertaining without commercials.

I have an elliptical as well, but it's a tougher workout and I read books on the elliptical.

I've only lost 5 pounds in 9 months, but it can't hurt!

Ideas to make the boring treadmill less boring?

go outside.