I really want to participate in the Men’s 10K again this year, but more importantly, I want to run all of it. Crossing the finish line meant so much to me as you can see in the image below, but I also walked too much.
There was a time, not too long ago, when running 10km would not have phased me, but even though my knee is stronger and I am losing weight, there are still doubts that prevent me from hitting the road.
So, I have a confession to make.
I have been taking advantage of my Glasgow Club membership and I have been running on a dreadmill treadmill at Bellahouston Sports Centre. Not only is it less impact on my bad knee, but it helps me avoid the worst of the winter weather.
Oh, I so want to Return to OZ
I had thought of investing one for the house and I had looked at comparison sites but I would never be able to afford the treadmill that I really, really want.
The TechnoGym SkillMill
It is no ordinary treadmill and with an RRP of £9,000 I would not expect it to be. So what makes it so special?
The first thing that you notice is that it is not flat like most other treadmills. Instead, it curves. This seemingly encourages you to run on the balls of your feet and as a self confessed heel striker, this caught my attention. You also cannot but help notice that it is steam powered. No, not with some James Watt inspired contraption, but instead powered by your own steam. The faster and further up the curve you run, the faster the belt moves.
And you feel it. Running on the skillmill is not easy. My first attempt was less than graceful.
However, once I got used to it I began to feel more comfortable. My pace, gait and rhythm all felt much better and I quickly began to feel more comfortable running faster and slowing down, just by simply running faster and slowing down (it’s a kind of magic). It felt more gentle and more natural and I would like to read more about Technogym’s research into the benefits of the SkillMill on the joints and muscle contractions.
The SkillMill requires you to use your glutes and hamstrings more than a traditional treadmill as you drag the belt with your feet and in this it resembles running outside more. It also means that after only a few minutes, I was tiring and that a few days later my glutes were on fire. Not so much no pain, no gain but more that I was using muscles that had been ignored for far too long.
The SkillMill has become one of the highlights of my visits to Glasgow Club Bellahouston and I am looking forward to incorporating it the FT fitness class that seems to be booked solid every day, where it is used like a sledge to great effect, but it is not the only attraction.
The Bellahouston Fitness Suite has undergone a transformation that puts it on a par with many of the more expensive gyms in the city ( I have been a member of many). With a whole range of Technogym equipment, including the SkillRow, synchronised to a mywellness app on my phone, I can easily plan, follow and review my training while there are Kinesis stations that I am slowly starting to love.
With Swimathon in 14 weeks and the Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon in 15 weeks, I am going to be spending a lot of time in the Bellahouston swimming pool, on the SkillMill and in classes such as the legendary Monday night Circuit Class (where I am going tonight).
And with monthly membership only £34 per month with no joining fee in January and nothing to pay until February , now is the time to Join Glasgow Club