Apr 9, 2013

Training Day 5 - Elliptical Error


Gym today was pretty good. Well, it was good all except for one thing: the damn elliptical machine.

So what happened?

Error
Today, I decided to do like what I have done in the past, I covered the screen with a towel. I had read it as a suggestion once, and it worked well for me last time around that I actually worked out in a gym. Putting a towel over the screen helps to keep you from concentrating too much on the distance and not on just running. It worked well for me in the past and the first time I did it, it made a significant difference in how far I ran, even the first time. So, I got to the gym and it makes you set the length of work out in a time (maybe it just asks and doesn't "make" you). So I set it for 40 minutes. I planned on only running for a half hour, because I have a long day to get through today and didn't want to tire out too much. I cover the screen and get running. They have tvs attached to all the cardio equipment with headphone jacks and controllers. I have my music but I put on SportsCenter with close captioning so I could catch some highlights while I run. I'm making some good progress. I check between songs at one point and I was at 3 miles. I realized I was doing a slower pace, because the playlist I had was for running this weekend, but I can go faster on the elliptical. I guess I need a playlist for the gym with some higher bpm. Anyway, I cover it back up and keep running. SportsCenter rolls over to the top of the hour and I'm thinking ok, I'm at about a half hour. I started 630ish. I see after the NCAA championship highlights the Phillies highlights are coming on. I know they lost, but I wanted to see what happened to Doc, so I decide I'll run until then and start a cool down during the Phillies highlights. I should have known the championship game ones would have went on for a while. Finally, they're over, so I pull off the towel thinking, "I feel good still, maybe I'll top off the distance to the next mile." Then... utter failure. It reads 1:30 on the time. Crap. It went through it's auto cool down timer and then started again for me. So my time and distance were lost. I was instantly deflated, so just did a quick cool down and called it quits.

Elliptical

So, other than the machine hating me, the training actually went well. As I mentioned, I can go with a faster playlist for at the gym when I want to run the elliptical, or find more time. I have to either come in earlier or stay later at work to get much more time in. Today I ran for over 40 minutes and made it to my desk by 7:30 which is when I normally start by. So to do longer than what I need requires the time to come from somewhere. Doing longer runs on the elliptical may help my confidence though, seeing myself "running" the distances there, even though it is harder on the treadmill / pavement. I've never liked treadmills, but I may give it a go to at the gym on some days. I like the elliptical because it goes my speed without having to click it up or down at all. Same with feet to the ground. The treadmill just feels awkward to me. Always has.

I tried to step counting feature of Endomondo Pro today. I didn't seem to work on the elliptical. I didn't actually think it would, but I figured why not give it a try anyway. I plan on trying it on the treadmill one day, to see if it will track that well or not. I'm hoping it will, because that's a pretty cool feature, using it to track the workout indoors.

I did run for 40 minutes and still had more energy in the tank. I could have gone more, which is a good sign. My 3 miles was on a slower pace than before. I picked it up but don't know how I did. So I'm going to use and guess of 5 miles, even though I think thats low. Mostly because I have nothing better to go by.

Stats

Time: 42 mins
Distance: 5.0 miles
Average Speed: 7.1 mph
Average Pace: 8:24 min / mile

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