Winter training

I'm in the early stages of training for my third marathon, to take place this spring, and I need to be more disciplined this winter than I was last (though I ran almost daily in the balmy Maryland weather while visiting for Christmas, I put in somewhere between 2 and 5 runs in Maine from November to March. Yikes). With the weather reaching sub-zero temperatures lately, it's been difficult to pull myself from the warmth of my apartment - even to go to work - but I've supplemented my normal cardiovascular activity with vigorous jump-roping inside. Better than nothing. Last night I decided to bite the bullet and run on the treadmill at the gym at the University of Maine at Machias where I'm a part-time student (the music department there is wonderful!). I don't think I've been on one of those machines in eight years or more, and I was reminded of why I've steered clear for as long as I have. One of the things I love about running is the ground that you cover, the sights that you see, realizing the little things you miss when you travel in an automobile, and the act of treadmill running completely obliterates all of those subtleties. Nevermind the fact that the UMM gym attendants had Border 102.9 (see also: Unoriginal Pop for Nondiscerning Listeners), putting purchasing ipod high up on my list of things to do. 3 miles passed unbearably slowly and I struggled with my stride and focal points, trying not to slip and fall and have my knees worn away by the conveyor belt as I did when I was eleven. Today I braved the cold and put in a very pleasant 4.5 miles along Route 1. I'll save the treadmill for when there's no option of daylight running...