Treadmills

My last couple of runs have been inside due to heat and humidty.  I don't normally run on treadmills - I avoid them at all costs, actually - but in this case it's been handy.  Convenient air conditioning = awesome!  Consistent and very comfortable running surface = spectacular!  Monotony of a 40+ minute run, looking at the exact same thing the whole time = shoooooooooooooot meeeeeeee.

I seriously have running ADD.  I get bored so easily.  That's why I love running barefoot outside.  You have to pay attention.  Plus, every step is like a little anatomy lesson.  It's fascinating.  Also, I like actually going somewhere.  It's a feeling of accomplishment.  It's very difficult to get that on a treadmill.  Now I know why people call them dreadmills.  Holy cow.

The fun part, though, is having people in the little gym with me and not saying a word.  It's pretty amusing wondering what they're thinking about the crazy girl on the treadmill with no shoes.  Here's a video:

Barefoot Running:  The Sanitation Debate

This hasn't affected me yet, but I keep waiting for someone to say "Hey!  You can't run barefoot on the treadmills!"  And when asked why, they'd reply with something to do with it being unsanitary.  I'm sure it'll probably happen before my stay here is over.  And it's something I completely DO NOT understand.

I've heard stories about barefoot runners being disallowed from treadmill and indoor track running because it was "unhygienic."  It makes NO sense, folks.  I wash my feet between one and three times a day, depending when I run and how dirty they are.  When was the last time you washed your running shoes?  I can 100% guarantee that a barefoot runner's feet are infinitely cleaner than the bottoms of people's running shoes, and will be washed regularly, especially after exposure to a running surface.  The hygiene argument against barefoot running is completely idiotic.