My Treadmill and I

     I finish my 12 hour shift come home and try and relax. My hour drive home normally gives me the needed time to think about the stress and problems that occurred during the shift. I think about the care I gave my patients and the possible changes I may try w/ redirecting next shift. I then ponder the documentation my on-going question remains. Did I put down everything in the most clear and understandable way in case I am ask to remember years from now what I meant?  after these deep thoughts 3/4 of my drive home is gone. Then I stress over the  thoughts of forgetting something in endorsement.
After I am home I feel a weight lift off these shoulders.
     Lately my daily run gives me this feeling of spirit. I look towards how far will I get today? Will I gain miles or drop minutes? Although I have had guilt about not running in the past, I am now to the point of enjoyment. I realize I have a ways to go with my weight loss goals, but for once in my life the noted weight loss is not playing the leading role. Instead is how fast did I run that mile and will I be able to beat it on my next mile. I know I am only talking 2-3 miles each day to this point, but I also know I will improve and get faster and endure farther.
     My treadmill  and I are having fun up to now. I normally walk in the door look at it waiting there for me to hop on and go for a ride. I think if it could talk it might say, " What are you waiting for? Get your Big Butt over here and RUN!"
     Today I thought I would try one of the million settings available, I choose "Endurance" Now I thought, how bad can a endurance setting be? after all it is only 60 minutes. I know at this point the TM (treadmill) is laughing at me...
      I do my stretches, like my standing stork, squat-to-stand and the butt flex (that one tickles) you stand tall and squeeze your butt muscles really tight for two minutes then stop do this five times.
So, I get on my TM and away it takes me... A five minute 3.0 walk/run, then it increases to a 4.0 These bars begin to blink all of a sudden the grade goes from 0.0 to 5%, WTF? I say in my brain, I can't maintain 4mph while at a 5% grade...my ass burns, but I continue.Trying to control my breathing while telling my brain that my ass and legs are doing the work...just breath. RIGHT!  Five min. into my 4mph 5% grade HELL! the TM slows to 3.9mph and the GRADE increases to 7% this hell holds me in "Muscles Ass Burning Hell" for a total of 3min. All of a sudden the Grade decreases down to ZERO and keeping the 3.9mph, Nice a chance to catch my breath. I feel my face turning three shades of red. sweat is leaving my body at a rate of half gallon a min. I feel in control now. NO! Can't! Not allowed. The TM feels it is time for 60 second intervals, YES 6.5mph then slow to 4.0mph this continues 6 times, at this point the TM tells me to CHECK HEART RATE. The TM knows my Max heart rate, my weight, and height so it tells me I need to endure, yet at a slower speed, so it slows my intervals to 5.0mph /3.5mph  but increases the grade to 5%... Again the TM tells me CHECK HEART RATE. My Max is with-in-normal limits, so it maintains these intervals for 5 min. I want to stop,but I feel like the TM is challenging me so I endure HA. the intervals increase to 5 min at 4.5mph then slow to 3 min. at 3.5 at this  point I have 35 min. under my belt. I am not ready for this...then the TM slows to a 3.0mph walk pace for 5 min. I have a chance to breath, get back into control. This is called the recovery jog. You know I am wondering where is the rest of the hour, Of course no sooner I think that the speed slowly increases to 5.5mph where it maintains this for 10 min then higher to 6mph I almost feel the need to manually slow the TM, but just as I hold the rail the TM slows to 5.5mph the grade is now at 0% grade. I am becoming SOB, but then the TM slows again this time to 4.5, I start to feel my heart beat out of my chest, few min later another decrease to 4mph where I feel accomplished, because up to now my fastest speed was 3.9-4.0 and with this training, I was slowing down to 4mph and feeling in control. in min intervals it continues to slow Now I am at 2.0mph. Sweat pours off me, my face feeling red hot. Then He stops, it blinks Excellent ! NOW CHECK YOU HEART RATE... 
     I am EXCELLENT!