TREADMILL JUNKIES
Christine Fieldhouse talks to six runners that love running on a treadmill
“The furthest I’ve run on my treadmill is 20 miles and I got through
two full-length fi lms!” Stewart Ferris, 42, is a novelist, from Hayling Island, Hampshire.
“My gym is in a large log cabin in my garden and it is insulated so I can put
the TV on and make a lot of noise without disturbing the neighbours. Many years ago I noticed that if I was watching TV, I wasn’t aware of how much effort I was putting into running. When you’re 100% focused on yourself, you’re aware of how much running hurts and how tired you are. But if there’s something to watch, you run on autopilot. Now I have a 32-inch plasma TV linked up to two DVD
players so I can run and switch films without stopping for more than four hours. The furthest I’ve run on my treadmill is 20 miles and I got through two full-length films! My favourite film to watch while running is Casino Royale – it motivates me by making me want to be fit like James Bond! If I’m feeling lethargic, I put that on and my energy is back! I’ve done three marathons, starting with New York in 2007, and I did London in 2009 and 2010. I also have a place for next year’s London Marathon. I enter more for the experience than for competing. Most of my runs are on a treadmill. I think it’s kinder on my joints.”
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“If I miss my morning session, I go to the gym in the evening and watch
Coronation Street” Sarah James, 29, is a store manager, and she lives in Preston, Lancashire.
“I’m fairly new to running and took part in my first race, the Great North Run, this
year. A few people at work have done the race for the last few years and I’d always managed to duck out of it but this year I decided I would get involved. When I was training, I tried running outside but it was so unsuccessful and incredibly cold, I decided to try a treadmill. Also, the area where I live isn’t particularly nice and I don’t like to think I’d be too tired to run away if I were attacked. Now I go to the gym two or three times a week and I warm up on the cross trainer, then I do 20 minutes of running on the treadmill before doing some weights. I usually go and watch This Morning, which is great as long as I don’t coincide with the adverts! If I miss my morning session because of being busy at work, I go to the gym in the evening and watch Coronation Street. That way, I get my soap fix and exercise in one go, though I do tend to up the pace if the plot is exciting! I’ve signed up for three 10K runs next year, so I’ll keep going to the gym, especially now it’s really cold outside!”
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