Two Days in a Row…My Bum is Feeling It

They say that putting the treadmill at 1.5% grade makes it equivalent to running outside. I don’t care who ‘they’ are but I’m telling you that running outside is harder, one and a half, schmone and a half. πŸ˜‰

running away

Road vs. Tread

Okay, no, I know that there are differences between ‘real’ running outside and running inside. On a treadmill your strike, footfalls, and gait are able to stay exactly the same. Even on a flat road, you will make some turns, there are variances in the road, you move to avoid a branch or rock, slight elevation, slight grade down…normal stuff. All of these things add up.

The other big difference is that on the tready you actually don’t use your hamstrings at all. The way the belt moves, it works only your quads; the movement of the belt actually drags your leg back and thus takes your hammies out of the equation. So going outside it’s a little bit of a shock to the backside of your legs!

So in an effort to return to being a ‘normal runner’ I’ve taken it to the streets. Well, not the real streets, but outside on the bike trail. I feel safer there, still working against a little residual ‘I’m a weenie and cars kinda freak me out’ fears, but a bike trail I can manage. Now that I’m living closer to an awesome bike trail I’ve been going there.

It’s also a slap of reality, I’m also able to go faster on the tready than outside…most of that I think is just ‘me’ though because I’ve never been a real power runner, so the difference in paces I think is more overt just because I have strength that needs to build up.

runner

This guy kicked my tush today. πŸ™‚

Today was a good one, hillier than I’ve been doing…I say this and laugh because I ran with a good friend of mine (actually, it’s so funny because he’s about 7 years younger than me and I remember when he FIRST started running, him going out to his first races and now here I am running with him…PS-he kicked my butt and was way too nice to admit I wasΒ definitely the dead weight holding him back…haha!) and when I said, “So now we’re done with the rolling hills, this is flat from here on out, right?” his reply was, “Oh, yea, I forgot about the hills…haha…ya, I guess those were them, I was distracted talking!” I guess the only thing I can feel better about is that at least I was able to hold a conversation the whole way through. πŸ˜‰

Ahh, but I loved it. The other great thing about the bike trail on the weekends too, you see tons of runners getting their miles on. Oh, and bikes…but runners are better. πŸ˜‰

So kicked Sunday off to a good start; backtracking a bit, I also had a great Friday when I went out to On the Border with my fam and my little sis’s boyfriend. Mexican food and good conversation always makes for an awesome night. As for the boyfriend, all I have to say is this: this was just a ‘regular’ day, no special occasion and he brought her flowers. Earlier in the week he picked her up from school with a surprise: a limo waiting to drive them to San Francisco. Ummm…where were guys like these when I was in high school?!?!

 

san francisco

Sis and the BF at San Fran

 

So, fun Sunday runs…like the title notes my hammies and bum are feeling it a tad but it’s a GOOD feeling. The feeling like I’m back among the outside runners…and YES, regardless of what David may think, those WERE rolling hills!! πŸ˜‰

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Update: this runnerchick somehow made a dorkette mistake and a few paragraphs were repeated in my post!! What was I doing?! Anyways, you no longer will see double but that’s only thanks to the amazing Christina for telling me!! Thanks so much and I emplore you all to go and follower her blog because it’s totally stalkworthy! πŸ™‚

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1) What were/are you up to this weekend?

2) If you’ve spent a lot of time doing treadmill vs. outside running, do you find you can go faster on the tread than outside, even if you have it at the 1.5% grade?
This is true for me even when I do hard workouts on the treadmill vs. if I do the same workout on the track. It gets me frustrated when I can go faster on a treadmill tempo and then I take it to the track and I’m slower…what’s the dealio?!

3) Have you ever been surprised with a trip in a limo?
No…but sign me up.

4) On the Border is Mexican…love me my Mexican food…what’s your favorite Mexican dish/food?
Bean burrito, Baby!

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10 Replies to “Two Days in a Row…My Bum is Feeling It”

    • haha…i know, it’s so sad that i’ve turned into a quasi-treadmill addict!! BUT, there are no races on a treadmill and getting outside if u can def works all those muscles in a different way, so i’m trying to break the cycle. πŸ˜›

      • PS- Vanessa…i’ve tried and tried again for about 10 mins trying to post a comment on ur blog but stupid blogger won’t let me!!! ugh…i don’t want u to think i’m ignoring u! here was my comment to ur long run day:
        CONGRATS!!! oh gosh..18…u’re in the big leagues! πŸ™‚ haha…thanks for posing for us in ur ‘i’m excited’ ones…i luv it!

        haha…i’m kinda weird and like to end a bit over either 1 mile or 1/2 mile incriments. why? i’m insanely anal and have to just make SURE i hit at least the full amount if i’m gonna log it as such. πŸ˜‰

    • hey there my friend!! sorry for some reason i thought i replied but obviously i’m lame!! but i wanted to answer your question…i usually run first thing in the morning and i don’t eat. i have a pretty finicky stomach and get cramps if i have too much; but i make sure i eat a big dinner and i eat a big snack (prolly too big actually) the night before so i have energy. when i do have to run later in the day then i have something that i know won’t give me cramps and make sure it’s at least two hours before i’m going to run. if i plan on running hard i might make it a bit earlier. the key is finding something that works for you; i’ve found that oatmeal i can handle, turkey sandwiches with lettuce/tomato/bread/mustard, bagels, and granola bars have worked. oh…and i’m not kidding, pop tarts. let me know how it goes!

  1. ARGH you have been posting!! WHY haven’t you been showing up in my Google Reader?! Not cool…I’ll resubscribe and that should do it πŸ™‚

    Anyway, I am SO happy you kicked butt on the trail today!! And I can’t BELIEVE you find the treadmill easier!! I find it HARDER haha! I dunno I just find my normal paces feel that much harder! πŸ˜›

    And be jealous cos I have been in a limo THREE TIMES!! Ok, I’ll stop boasting now hehe πŸ˜‰

  2. Yeah for running on the road AND for limos! You rock my socks. I totally agree that the stupid 1.5 incline is bullcrap- it’s WAY harder to run outside! The treaddy is nice and comforting, though! And Mexican food is my ultimate FAVE. Bring on the guac. And then… the treadmill.

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