I had a snow day today….our fifth one of the year at Grandville Public Schools. Some school districts have had 7 or more. I was feeling a little frustrated with the fact that it has been dangerously cold outside, and my “normal” workout routine has been compromised. I was scheduled to run 16 miles yesterday in prpeparation for a marathon in April, but opted for an indoor bike workout in my basement instead. I was thinking (incorrectly) that this morning would be a great opportunity for me to get in my long run.

After calling everyone on my school phone tree to tell them that school had been canceled, I decided to venture out of the house in search of another pool and a lonely treadmill (Byron Center Pool, where I normally swim, was also closed today). I decided to try MVP this morning for the first time, and thought I might see a few Blink members out for an early morning workout. I was fortunate enough to be granted a free pass this morning by the manager after telling him that I was associated with the Blink team. Nice guy! Otherwise, I would have had to pay a $30 visitor’s fee….no thanks.

Anyway, I started in the pool for a warm-up, and had a nice 40 minute swim in cold waters (compared to Byron Center, I felt like I needed a wetsuit this morning!). After changing into my running clothes, I headed upstairs looking for a treadmill tucked away in a corner where I could put in some serious miles without bothering too many people with my flying beads of sweat. I was pleasantly surprised to find a treadmill with lots of cool gadgets, including a tv with headphone jacks. I plugged in, amped up and rolled for my long run. What started as a moderately long run of 12 miles turned into 14, then 16, then….what the heck….. 18 miles on the treadmill! It was the longest I have ever run on a treadmill before. I liked the consistency of my pace, and the feel of the repetitive movement. I was in a zone. After cooling down a bit, I noted that I had lost 5 pounds on the treadmill even with drinking two full 20 ounce bottles of gatorade.

I certainly would not recommend 2+ hours on the treadmill for everyone. However, it worked for me today in a pinch. Treadmill running can also be beneficial for someone trying to train neuromuscular pathways to “fire” at a faster rate. I’ve done mile repeats on a treadmill before, and have found this method for establishing pace and following a specific protocol very effective. HR, speed, time, and distance are easily monitored and adjusted. Today, I enjoyed settling into a groove without my pace wavering. I was literally forced to keep pace. At times, I wanted to go faster, but I stayed the course, and paced the run perfectly. I enjoyed my first MVP experience immensely.