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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a treadmill?!

27 replies

DarlingDuck · 11/09/2011 21:16

I've taken up running and have been doing a mile every other day for about 2 weeks, I now have a sore knee and achey lower back. I have the right shoes and have been stretching so I reckon it might be down to pounding the pavement.. I've heard treadmills are much easier on the joints, would it be unreasonable to buy one seeing as they are about £300?!

OP posts:
Pawsnclaws · 11/09/2011 21:20

Don't do it - you'll get bored and the treadmill will end up as a clothes horse. Much better to be out in the fresh air.

You might be going too fast too soon - try slowing down a little and see if that helps. You could also try running on grass or an off road track until your joints get stronger.

Mandy2003 · 11/09/2011 21:27

You will find one that's lived its life as a clothes horse coming up about once a month on Freecycle! Wait till then and you won't have to buy one at all Grin

squeakytoy · 11/09/2011 21:29

They take up a lot of room, and weigh a ton, and you also only get what you pay for.. get a mini trampoline.. they are much easier for storage and you can burn off just as much and tone up quicker with less injury (do a google search on Rebounding)..

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 11/09/2011 21:29

If you're going to do it now would be a good time before everyone else is looking for one in Jan.

(I bought one second hand to getter better brand than I would have been able to buy otherwise).

Bangtastic · 11/09/2011 21:30

Try spacing it out, 2 weeks is a short time to be running such a distance every other day. You're supposed to rest a day between jogs, never mind runs, unless you do mean jogs.

Make sure you land with the balls of you feet and not your heels too.

Original poster
DarlingDuck · 11/09/2011 21:34

Pelvic floor after 3 DC's means skipping and trampolining could get uncomfortable! Just found some on ebay and surprise surprise neither has been used for more than a month. Perhaps I will find a grassy area nearby, always get a bit creeped out in places like that when there aren't many people around though!

OP posts:
Original poster
DarlingDuck · 11/09/2011 21:35

Sorry I mean jogs. Maybe I can buy one and put it back on ebay come January!

OP posts:
zonkin · 11/09/2011 21:39

I had a treadmill and sold it on ebay after a couple of years. It was a good quality one but it really did end up as a clothes horse and it took up loads of space.

I run outdoors now and it is so much more enjoyable than the treadmill. The treadmill just gets boring and for me never gave me the same intensity of work out that the same mileage on the road did. Would never have one again.

BluddyMoFo · 11/09/2011 21:40

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Gissabreak · 11/09/2011 21:44

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Gissabreak · 11/09/2011 21:46

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Original poster
DarlingDuck · 11/09/2011 21:49

DH is convinced I will get bored with it so one of the main challenges would be to prove him wrong and get marathon level fit!

OP posts:
Gissabreak · 11/09/2011 21:52

This reply has been deleted

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Mbear · 11/09/2011 22:00

I got one about 6 months ago and I love having it! Get in from work, dh sorts out tea and I bosh out some miles on the treadmill.

I used to go to the gym a lot, and the treadmill was always my favourite thing to do, so I was used to using one before buying it - but it was still a well considered purchase.

eslteacher · 11/09/2011 22:05

We got one back in March. I used to run outside, on and off over a three year period when I lived by a lovely park, but then I moved house. In our current area there's nowhere nice to run, plus we're at the top of a really steep hill so it's not great running down and then up again. With a treadmill there are no more worries about the weather, no more excuses, you just get changed and get on. It's pretty cool. Also I often use it while watching DVDs, which makes it a lot less boring.

I used it religiously three times a week until August when I was away for most of the month...and must admit I've been finding it hard to get back into the habit. I think I just need to get back in the routine, at least I hope so because I'd feel embarassed if it ended up not getting used any more.

One word of advice: try to go to a fitness store and try a few out before buying. Some of the really cheapy ones aren't very comfortable to use, ie they are too short or not very springy or make a lot of noise. We spent about £700 on ours, and I'm really happy with the model.

Crosshair · 11/09/2011 22:06

''Get a crosstrainer, they have much more clothes hanging space''

This ^

CurrySpice · 11/09/2011 22:09

I've had one for 4 years and use it all the time in the winter

niceguy2 · 11/09/2011 23:10

I had one for about three years. It spent more time being carried back & forth from the garage than actually being used.

Personally i find them dull to run on. Yes watching TV helps but you'd have to be lucky to have space for the treadmill and a TV nearby. It's just not realistic to move the treadmill everytime you want to run.

More importantly I found that running on a treadmill is nothing like outdoors. You can run a mile on a treadmill then find in the real world you can't do half that. So you have to compensate by running longer. In the end it'd probably be quicker just to go for a jog and be done with it.

I ended up ebaying mine.

CurrySpice · 12/09/2011 08:07

In the winter I don't like running in the dark, that's when i use it most

QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins · 12/09/2011 08:12

hmm, I would say save your money as running outside is so nice, I would also try and solve your knee and back problem with other methods first as £300 is a lot to splash out to find out it's actually your gait or your shoes. You say you have the right shoes, when you bought them were you watched/filmed running whilst wearing them on a treadmill? (v. important)
Was anything said about the way you run?
Do you warm up beforehand and stretch after?
Also as already has been suggested running on grass is kinder to the joints.

INeedALieIn · 12/09/2011 08:19

Buy mine :)

QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins · 12/09/2011 08:22

"You can run a mile on a treadmill then find in the real world you can't do half that. So you have to compensate by running longer. In the end it'd probably be quicker just to go for a jog and be done with it."

I'm very odd I find I'm SLOWER on a treadmill, not sure why...

Andrewofgg · 12/09/2011 08:24

Very disappointed by this thread. I thought it was going to be for the DC - it could replace the naughty step and generate some green electricity to reduce your bills. When you or DH were convinced you had done something wrong you could use it too.

Instead, what do I find? Some bloody piece of exercise kit!

:)

skybluepearl · 12/09/2011 09:22

I have one and i use it during winter and on nights i want to run but have no childcare. it is far less interesting than running outside but it does what i need it to do. Have you tried running on a field/park/bridal way? Maybe also look at your running position and how you move your body.

Helltotheno · 12/09/2011 09:45

I bought a treadmill about 9 years ago and it's one of the best things I ever bought. Went against all the advice telling me it'd just take up space blah blah and I've never regretted it. I don't really like road running so I knew it'd make sense. One piece of advice: get a good one under warranty etc. £300 seems a low price. Why not wait for the sale?

GissaBreak I found the exact same thing re running keeping ya regular! That was an advantage I wasn't expecting :)