Monday, August 3, 2015

Runfessions - treadmill politics edition

Linking up with Marcia's monthly Runfessions.


The building I live in has a small workout room. It has two treadmills and they are both in high demand.

Since the day I moved in over five years ago, there is a man who shows up every day around 5 or 5:30. Every day, he uses one of the treadmills for over an hour. It's gotten to the point that if I want to use a treadmill, I try to time myself so I won't run into him.

I am not on the condo board or anything. But I runfess that I have thought about printing and posting signs asking that treadmill users be considerate of others waiting to use the machines. (Great way to feign authority that I don't have, right?)

To make matter worse, the man does the exact same routine every single day. He steps on the treadmill, immediately cranks the incline up as high as it will go, then hangs on to the handrails for dear life.

Good lord. Aside from the boredom factor, I am amazed that this guy hasn't gotten hurt yet. I've had enough of my own overuse injuries just from running 3-4 times a week!

One day, I was finishing up my treadmill run and I saw the guy come in. The other treadmill was occupied and I could tell he was ready to take my treadmill the moment I stepped off. I runfess that I considered extending my run a few extra miles. After all, I have had to wait for him so many times! But... I didn't do it.

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Do you have anything to runfess?

12 comments:

  1. If somebody's waiting there should definitely be a time limit on those mills. Geez I can't imagine staying on one for that length of time if somebody's waiting. And what is up with those who hang on the rails like that? There was a girl at my old gym who'd do that on the Stairmaster everyday for hours! Thanks for linking up!

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    1. Thanks for hosting the link-up, Marcia! I am still blown away by the woman's ankle device that you shared. Yes, what is up with folks that hang on the trails? Do they really think they are still getting a good workout when they do that? Yikes!

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  2. Ugh, so annoying about him hanging on the rails like that.

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    1. Yes - I have been tempted to make a comment to him several times, but have always kept my mouth shut. Sigh.

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  3. Bahahahaha! You totally should have taken an extra 15 minutes to do a walking cool down. Just because.

    True confessions? Just over a week ago I went into the gym with my husband to do some lap swimming and ended up sharing a swim lane with a SUPER inconsiderate teen who thought they were hot stuff (obviously on a competitive swim team of some sort). Long story, but her and her two friends who were also swimming and sharing lanes with other people, were not being very courteous about the situation. And not to be catty, but for thinking she was such hot stuff I noticed that she didn't have very good swim form, as she way over rotated when she came up to breathe on her stroke exposing her whole face and part of her chest. So ... I may or may not have just decided to flat palm it when I swam past her, creating a giant splash that she'd have to take full face due to her over rotation. Heh.

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    1. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA indeed!

      That is so annoying when folks are inconsiderate in the swim lanes. It's one thing to hog a treadmill, but it's downright dangerous to be clogging the swimming areas. That is hilarious that you flat palmed the water when you went by! That's the great thing about water, too, is that it leaves no evidence after the deeds are done, haha. Splash away, my friend!!!

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  4. I admit, I would have take my sweet time finishing up on the treadmill. He needs to see how it feels to wait.

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    1. Yeah, I wonder if that guy has ever had to experience what it feels like to wait? Grrrrr....

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  5. That has to be so annoying! I'm losing my filter. I probably would say something to him...

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    1. I've thought about saying something to him many times! But alas, it's easier to take the passive aggressive approach, haha. That, or just avoid him altogether!

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  6. LOL, this is the best post ever. You should have stayed on that treadmill and let him wait for you. After all, he doesn't seem to care that others are waiting for him. But, I applaud you for being the better person and not taking too much time on the treadmill. That has got to be annoying when someone is on a fitness machine for over an hour when others are trying to use it. You apartment building should put up a sign that says "limited to 30 mins a day" or something.

    -Agnes
    https://aggieruns.wordpress.com/

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    1. Thanks Agnes! It really is frustrating when others are inconsiderate in the fitness room. It is a shared facility and is meant for everyone to enjoy! But at least it's better during the summertime because more people are taking their exercise outdoors. The wintertime is brutal because so many people want to use the facilities then!!!

      BTW - huge congrats on your race ambassadorship in China!!! Way to represent!!!

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