Taking The Plunge

Maybe my obsession with running is starting to rub off in my house. My wife has expressed an interest in walking more, so we have been discussing purchasing a treadmill so that she could start. Now, I'm generally anti-treadmill (for my use, at least), but if buying one means my better half will use it, too, then I'm OK with it.

I've been doing lots of research, and picked out the NordicTrack 2150 as something I'd be interested in buying. Lots of features, positive reviews, and a good warranty. So armed with my extensive, researched knowledge, we went to Sears today to test drive the 'mill. And I have to say, I came away impressed.

This model is a mac-daddy of a treadmill. The belt is very cushiony, one of the best belts I've run on. It also goes from 10% incline to a 3% DECLINE, which I've never seen on a treadmill. It is heartrate monitor and iPod compatible. But what is really interesting is that you can download maps that will show up on the 10" screen, and it will appear as if you are running the route on the map. For example, today I ran a mile in Abu Dhabi (at least, that's what it showed on the screen). This has the potential to at least relieve some of the boredom associated with treadmills. Maybe one icy morning I might want to run in Maui, so I'll just download the Maui map, and "hit the road" inside.

This treadmill isn't going to replace my outdoor training, just supplement it. I figure I can throw in an extra run or 2 during the week at night, and add a few quality miles to my total. But the key factor is that hopefully it will get my wife moving as well. If that's the case, then the investment was well worth what I paid.