The dreadmill

Today I done something I always said I could never do.. ran for 2.5 hours on a treadmill!!!

I jogged to the gym (via the bank & post office). Got myself sorted and entered the gym. I'm not one to moan.. honest, but that is twice this week I've walked in and the whole 6 treadmills have people WALKING on them.. it's really not for me to say, but there's hunners of miles of pavements out there you can walk on for free!!!!
I had a seat on rower thing with no real intention of using it, just thought I'd clog up the machines for others while I waited. I've already had this rant and Tim did point out they pay the same as me etc etc but come on ffs!!
Anyway's I have with me 2 bottles, one with 2 hours supply of perpetuem and one of water. This is my first use of this stuff and I needed at least a 2 hour run to see if the bowels held or imploded etc. That is the reason for the gym..toilets down the corrider & 400m from my front door if it all went horribly wrong. So I finally got on a dreadmill and boy was I going to get my money's worth.
Set it at 10m miles, you can only do 60 mins so fair enough off I go at 2% gradient. First hour flew by...yawn. Re set the machine this time at 1.1% gradient, I'm no fool and know my limitations. 2nd hour flew by.. geezus christ I'm loosing the will to live totally, but have found gyms like ever other gathering of people has it's charachters, it was actually quite amusing just people watching. Onto my last 5k and I'm still at the same speed but again a little drop in the gradient, just 1% this time. I have a feeling I'm almost there. I've finished my perpeteum and my tummy is not grumbling or cramping but I do keep burping .. not good for the folks around me.. oops and I'm very thirsty even though I have dunk 2x amount of water.
The last 10mins were dreadfull and if I wasn't on a machine with a belt I would most def have slowed down. But as it was.. I was on the dreadmill and I'm almost finished and there was nooo way I was going to give up. I must have saw every minute on the clock for the last 10 minutes... bloody torture. But finished it and took advantage of the 5 min cool down. My T shirt was dripping, the sweat running off my shorts down my legs... positively glowing!!

Conclusion, never again. The trial of the perpeteum went well though so all is good.

Wednesday afternoon I took part in the Scottish Police X country champs at Pollock park. It was windy, wet and cold and as I had expected a low turn out. I was aware it would only be racing snakes that would take part but you either put up, get out there and try your damnest or you lie in your warm cosy bed after nightshift. Hmmm .. lets just say I wasn't last and really enjoyed the undulating hilly course. It was however time wise my slowest X country since Killie in November. I know all courses differ and it's hard to make comparisons but I finished like a wee fresh daisy wanting more.. probably cos I was out on my own for most of the run with no one to chase down or run away from, well apart from a Fife guy, chased down his bandy legs for at least 1.5 miles. Think I shall call it a tempo run.