Ovals and Ellipticals

Ever since running the Philadelphia Marathon, my knees have been letting me know that running two marathons in two weeks is not something they would like me to do again. To let them know that I understand, I have been giving them a break from running and looking to more cross-training activities to keep myself occupied. This has led me to working out indoors. On the dreaded elliptical trainer.

As someone how works in a fitness center, I see the use of the elliptical by all shapes and types of people: the overweight guy thinking sweating to the oldies for 60 minutes is going to help them "get back into college shape"; the middle-aged mom, working out with her hair down and barely breaking a sweat; the sorority girl, decked out in her AOII gear and her spandex, trying to sweat off the booze from last night; the "runner", who never actually runs but thinks that, because the elliptical is "running-like" they can call themselves a runner; the person just looking to "do a little cardio"; and the injured athlete, forced to work out on the elliptical because they were told by their doctor, physical therapist, athletic trainer, etc. that they aren't allowed to do whatever it is they were doing before because that's what made them injured.**

I will let you all figure out what category I fall into - and as a hint, my sorority letters were LAX.

As I am forced inside during the season that is my favorite to run in (perhaps I will one day write about why running in the winter is so much better than running in the summer), I am also forced to do a workout that I don't even really consider a "workout". Running on a treadmill is bad, but at least it's still running. Doing an indoor bike workout is torture, but at least it's on my own bike and it's a taxing, sweaty endeavor. However, the elliptical is just plain boring. Any piece of "cardio equipment" that you can feasibly read a book while using should not be considered a piece of workout equipment. I mean, I guess if you're going slow enough you could read on a treadmill, but one false step and you're going down - and it won't be pretty (just ask K-Ray). But on the elliptical, it's pretty much a standard. I have yet to really break a sweat on any of my workouts and sometimes I'm even wondering if I'm doing something wrong. Maybe my efforts would be better used elsewhere - like perhaps watching paint dry?

So, now you can all understand why the writing has come few and far between - there hasn't been much to write about in these four weeks since Philadelphia. I guess I could rehash all of my favorite elliptical workouts (hill climbs! random hill workout! speed!) but it just wouldn't be the same as writing about a training plan or workouts that actual matter. The good thing is that, come January, I'll be back at it because this girl is planning on a 70.3 in June, which means training starts early next year.

But, until then, you can find me on the elliptical. Can anyone recommend a good book?



**All opinions are those of the writer. However, in my defense, I dare anyone to go into their local gym and tell me that these categories don't exist or that I am wrong. I might be mean and I might sound callous, but you also know that I am right. Also, to any sorority girls out there - you totally know that I am right so don't go off about how "I don't know what I'm talking about". (Except Ei, because she was the rare breed of athlete-sorority combination.)