Treadmill - friend or foe?

Yesterday after work, David and I met at the gym. He swam while I attempted a run on the treadmill. I gotta tell ya, I despise that awful piece of convenient machinery. I had, at several points during my run wished I was in the cold, gusty wind outside running instead of on that treadmill. But, I did an awfully long 3 mile run. Blah.... I can't even understand the amount of determination and dedication to run on it for EIGHTEEN miles, like my friend, Robin has. How in the world? I don't have that in my heart - sorry, Robin. But, you're right, you have to make peace with the treadmill and I plan on doing just that in order to use it during crappy weather. After the run, I got on the floor for a little ab work. Yes, that picture is of me. :0

3 miles (treadmill) - 31:06

For crunches (without the ball) I do regular crunches, then hold the crunch in the up position and do a pulse. I don't know what else it's called. LUV the burn!
200 crunches *
50 regular
50 pulse
50 regular
50 pulse
50 flutter kicks
25 push-ups

I'm weak on push-ups, but have to do them in 2 months for my Navy PRT, so I need to start working on them again regularly)

Jess just posted about her speedy run and I love her concept of it. She did no speed work, per se, tempos or intervals (of course, these are good for speed). She just picked up the pace. Who knew? j/k. I know it works, that's how David has sped up and I am adopting the same plan. She blames some of it on Dunkin Doughnuts coffee, and even though Marcy drinks DD religiously and is speedy herself, I doubt it's the coffee (totally). :-) Regardless, DD coffee is now on our grocery shopping list, just in case.

Speaking of speedy runs - Just last night, I was reading my RW magazine, that's probably a few months old. I am really weird, that I don't feel worthy enough to pick up the magazine at all if I'm not training. So, for a while it just sat on my nightstand, especially while I was sick. Anyway, I was reading an article on how hill training can speed you up too, plus you get the benefits of stronger legs while doing hill work. David has mentioned hill work improving speed before. Of course, this makes sense and it also means you don't have to have separate sessions of "speed work" and "hill work". You can get the 2 for 1 deal. Me likey. Anyway, instead of boring you all (that aren't interested in it) with the details, the article I read is here. It talked about 10 seconds of hill repeats on a 6-10% slope. Start out with 2, then work your way up to 8. Then start all over again. I've done hill work before, and need to adjust some runs to accommodate it. I have a great 3 mile course I do that I pass by a small neighborhood that has a nasty hill. I'm sure it would fit the qualification of at the very least 6%. I'll try it out next week. This would be good anyway, because our runs around the Greenville area all encompass hills. It's just what we have to live with here in G-vegas (luv it, haven't heard the term in a while). I borrowed that from newest blog buddy and local speedster Ashley. If you want to see what her idea of a girls weekend get-together is like, check out her post.

In other boring stories for you all, I am thinking of adding another race to my calendar. Now, before the lectures start of burning out, too much on the schedule, etc, let me just say that it fits perfectly in my race schedule, 2 wks after an 8K (woopey) and 7 wks before my local tri, aka my A triathlon. I have nothing on the calendar in July (probably because the south doesn't put much on the racing calendars that much due to the stinking humidity). And, it's an irongirl event, therefore all girls! Sweet. I stumbled upon it recently and am pondering. It's also in Hotlanta, so Wes, DeeDee might likey too. Here's the linkey link.
Details are 6/29: 1/3 mile swim (lake), 18 mile bike, 3 mile run. I'll think about it.

Thoughts?

I gotta run, well, not literally. I need more coffee, and NO it's not DD, unfortunately. Yah, Friday is tomorrow!!! and that means Golf team outing for this chica and packet pickup for my 1st 10k in 9/10 yrs (don't remember the exact yr).

Have a happy Thursday!