Herbert Spencer coined the phrase, "survival of the fittest," and I have always thought of it in a rather Darwinian way i.e. "better adapted for immediate, local environment."聽 However, now I think of it every time I step on a treadmill.
Not so long ago, the ninja taught me how to run on the treadmill...and I use the word "run" in the loosest possible way.
I have harboured a certain amount of disdain for the treadmill since I began training around 3 months ago.聽 So when Jonathan asked me whether I wanted to do stairs or the treadmill, I obviously picked stairs.聽 Which then came back to bite me in the ass as he said, "Great, treadmill it is."聽 And then he added, "we're going to run" or jog, as the case my be.聽 Running sounds better though...so I'll continue to use that.聽 Jogging just conjures up images of my dad in a royal blue track suit with three parallel yellow stripes running down the side of the legs and arms...and sweatbands in general. 聽
One of the nice things about having a personal trainer is that, generally, they know better than you what you can do when it comes to exercise.聽 When I started down that long hallway towards the row of self-contained moving sidewalks, I was dragging my feet.聽 I started feeling sick to my stomach too...because it's only been 5 months since I sprained my ankle, and I worry about treadmills in general as previously stated.聽 So, the ninja calmed me down by telling me that he knew that I could do it.聽 And that he would teach me how to start, stop, and jump off, if need be.
My name is Suzie and I have found it difficult to walk at a 5% incline at a speed of 3.0 MPH.聽 In fact, I much prefer 2.8 MPH which makes me sweat, but not hurt.聽 The ninja wants me to feel the burn, and so I have passed on the treadmill for a couple of weeks in favour of the elliptical.聽 So I start the belt at 2.5 and I start walking.聽 To jump off, use the hand railings at the side of the treadmill...hop up and use your hands to lift yourself up and then place each foot on opposite sides of the belt.聽 That is how to jump off a treadmill.聽 Now...to get back on, you need to to lift yourself up and move your feet like you're already running...and then gently...well...just start running on the thing.聽 Glad that's sorted.聽 If you need some balance, grab the bars in front...by then end of this, I'm going to need to go to the bars.
So, I'm walking at 3.5 MPH at a 3% incline...and I'm not falling over.聽 Wow, apparently leave treadmill out for a couple of weeks, and you get better at it.聽 Ninja is looking on...and then tells me to increase the speed - so I do...to 4.3 - and I'm jogging.聽 WHAT?聽 Very exciting...and thankfully, I have worn 2 bras.聽 So, I run for a minute, hop off...go back to a walk...run for a minute at an increased speed of 4.5...and then hop off and run again at 4.7!聽 And I'm dying...and my shins hurt, but I'm running!聽 I don't care!聽 Who knew this was possible?聽 Well, Jonathan did...even if I didn't believe him.聽 I don't even care that my stride is akin to that of a Hobbit.
What's that they say?聽 Even a bad run is better than no run at all.
I'm a superhero ninja (in my mind).聽聽聽聽
Visit Suzie's blog...
www.whatifidonthaveaprettyface.blogspot.ca
