Back to the mill...

"TRAIN YOUR MIND, and YOUR BODY WILL FOLLOW."

"OMG.  Have I really only gone 6.9 miles? It feels like 30.  Why is this so hard?  I am not even going that fast?" I think, looking out the window at the same tree that has been in my eye line for the past forty-five minutes.  "And, why, oh why is it so flippin' hot in here?" I ask myself as I glance for the five bazillionth  time up at the ceiling fans just to make sure that they are in fact still on.  As I turn a wave of sweat pours from my ponytail soaking the person on the treadmill to my left.  I smile sheepishly at him,  "so sorry," I say.  He shrugs it off like a good sport even though he must be grossed out.
  My first run of the season back on the treadmill and wow is it torture.  How did I do this every day last winter and into the spring s effortlessly?  How did I train for Miami, build speed and get through this without complaining last year?  Will I be able to do it again?  I smile as I realize once again my mind is overtaking my body and nudge the mph's up a touch.  "Whatevs, take that." I think.  I plug along for another mile or so with confidence focusing on the motion of my body, striking down evenly with each leg, landing softly and quickly on the ball of each foot and springing quickly off of my toes.  Elbows tucked, moving front to back, fingers open.  I find my rhythym and begin to zone out...until I notice someone lurking suspiciously to my right side.  I glance over, and notice the girl squinting to make out my stats.  "Ugh, a screen-spyer.  The absolute worst thing about running inside."  I smiled, trying my hardest to make this look effortless, nudge the speed up a few more notches and hit the screen to hide my speed, time and distance.  I look again to the window and think about inside vs. out.  As a trainer we are taught...cardio machines lie.  They over exaggerate distance, and calories burned.  They are purposely easier than running outside, in fact in order to make the two somewhat even, you are told to elevate the treadmill to at least a 1.0 percent grade.  It is a mind game.  Then I stop and think for a minute.  It is a mind game.  It is training your mind, maybe the way I was able to run for twenty-two miles straight with the same view last winter was because my mind was trained for it.  I giggle out loud and my poor neighbor looks at me curiously.  "I'm out of shape." I think, "I can't believe I let myself get out of shape!"  By anyone else's standards they would most likely think I was insane, as I typically run sixty plus miles a week, spend six hours spinning and weight training, swim for three, and work on agility and core for about four, but I am out of mind shape!  I giggle again as the treadmill begins to slow down and I let my legs elongate through their final strides, cooling down and stretching simultaneously.  The belt comes to a stop and I glance around making sure no one is "spying" as I look at my stats.  Hit my mileage and in a good time...although it feels like the opposite.  I sigh, as I wipe down the sweat infused machine.  "okay, here we go... I will get there again, my mind will toughen up."  I walk away from the machine and smile at the person waiting to get on, who looks absolutely miserable.  "It's all yours!"