Barefoot Treadmill Running

Exercise has been hit-or-miss lately. Well, that's not entirely true. I've just been more tired in the past week. I also haven't had as much time as normal because -- and this isn't like me at all -- when I wake up/get home from work, I feel like doing chores versus exercising.

Yes. These days, when presented with laundry or a jog, I usually choose laundry. The good news is that I'm striking a balance now. And on days when I completely can't rip myself away from the to-do list, I sneak in walks and other short spurts of activity.

My latest obsession: Running barefoot on the treadmill.

It all started when I noticed that I couldn't go for a run around our neighborhood without having to stop home for a potty break. Usually after a mile and a half. Initially, I planned a 1-mile loop around the house so I could easily stop back, if needed.

Then one morning (after we had spent all weekend FINALLY cleaning out the guest room/gym), I plugged in our treadmill. I couldn't find my shoes, but didn't feel like doing a long workout anyway. 1 mile would be enough. I set the speed to 5.5 MPH (slow for me, but without shoes, it feels right) and turned on our Roku/Netflix player.

I fell in love.


You'll get a kick out of this. Here's me running 10 miles on the treadmill during early, early pregnancy (I think 6 or 7 weeks?).


And here's what my belly looks like now at almost 35 weeks!


So, though I'll still try to head out for some jogs in the fresh air and sun . . . the extra comfort/peace of mind our treadmill affords me is especially appreciated this late into pregnancy. I'm able to sneak in short workouts just steps away from all the things I want to get done. I can easily stop if needed. I have water and snacks at my fingertips. I can watch TV.

It's win-win-win-win.


Usual workout is 3 miles -- 3 times a week at between a 5 and 5.5 MPH pace (11-12 min miles), which takes me anywhere from 32 to 36 minutes. Slow, yes. But I have almost zero ligament pain when I'm done. I've been carrying low the entire time and it seems that my bladder is squished more than ever these days -- so I'll take comfort over speed!

On days when I don't run, I get in at least a half hour of walking (but usually more like an hour throughout the day of dedicated walking). Still doing my prenatal workout DVDs, too. Feels good to still be moving at this point. We'll see how much longer I can keep it up!

How did you keep moving late into the third trimester? I'd love some tips! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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