Treadmill Rules

Yesterday's visit to the Y inspired this friendly little blog about treadmill etiquette.

Rule #1 - Do not slap your feet as if you are a thundering elephant when you are running. It is very distracting. When this happens instead of hearing my happy running music, all I hear are your loud feet next to me.

Rule #2 - If you have been walking at a mile pace of 3.0 or lower for more than 30 minutes and you see people pacing about because there are no open treadmills, kindly get off and let the next person get on. That turtle pace isn't helping your exercise effort anyway.

Rule #3 - Try not to gasp and breathe heavily in excess. I mean, I know we are all working out, and we are going to be breathing a little hard. But, when I look over and it sounds like you are about to keel over any minute...that worries me, and then I can't concentrate on anything but being ready to call 911 at a moment's notice.

Rule #4 - Do not read and run on a treadmill. That is extremely dangerous and makes me feel nauseous just thinking about it. If you want to read, just walk please.

Rule #5 - Do not talk loudly on your cell phone. Working out on a treadmill already means we are stuck with you. We don't want to be stuck in the middle of your one sided phone conversation, too. If you are going to talk loudly on the phone at least put it on speaker so we can get both sides of the story.

Rule #6 - If you see someone's stuff on the treadmill (i.e. water bottle, iPod, phone, keys, jacket) do not get on. That person probably had a bathroom emergency, and will be right back.