To treadmill or not to treadmill

Away on holidays over the Christmas season, I woke up one morning to a winter gloom of San Francisco fog and rain. Morning walks in San Francisco can be a treat. The reward for powering up Russian Hill is a view of Coit Tower, Alcatraz, or the Bay Bridge. With fog and rain I knew there would be no such view, so I decided to test the treadmill in the hotel fitness center.
It is rare for me to walk on a treadmill since I like to be outside. Still, many of you tell me you prefer the treadmill workout when inclement weather occurs - particularly when the risk of falling is high.

When I entered the fitness center both treadmills were taken. I warmed up sitting on the stationary bicycle. I managed to entertain myself through 20 minutes of imaginary hills on an imaginary ride. When a treadmill became available I moved over and started my walk at 3 mph. As I walked I increased the speed in .2 mph increments. When I reached my race pace from my personal best marathon of 11.22 minutes per miles I held a steady course for about 10 minutes. It was a long 10 minutes. Interesting. I regularly walk for more than 2 hours outside.

Then I aimed for 6mph, or walking one mile in 10 minutes. I was very nearly ejected off the back of the treadmill but managed 6 intervals of 30 seconds at that speed. Another 6 minutes of workout accomplished. Finally I played around with the grade for 5 minutes and ended with a few minutes of cool-down watching a television with no sound and subtitles. The screen was slightly to my right so it’s good that I had not been interested in watching a show for the duration of my workout or I would have walked away with a persistent tendency to look right.

After the workout I felt better than when I had walked into the fitness center. That’s just the way it works. An invigorating walk always improves my mood. Yet, I couldn’t help feeling that treadmill walk was just a bit silly. A little fog and rain in one of the world’s most interesting cities had me making like a gerbil, walking on a moving belt in a room that looks like countless others on the planet. It was interesting to know the exact pace I could muster, but I wish I had spent that hour walking Russian Hill – even without the view.