Before I share my profound safety tips, I will say that I have no special treadmill safety training nor do I claim to be an expert on the subject. I am just a gal who likes getting on the treadmill and when I do, I seem to come up with some pretty thought provoking stuff. You might read these tips and think, “Yeah genius, I knew that”, or you might think, “Damn, why didn’t I think of that??” Either way, I hope a little piece of safety information stays with you on your next treadmill journey.
7 Things to NEVER do while running on a treadmill
- Do not eat baby carrots while running on a treadmill. They are a known choking hazard and can kill you if they go down the wrong pipe. I know we technically do not have “pipes” that go down our throats but that’s what we say after we’ve recovered from a choking incident, “It went down the wrong pipe.” Sometimes we say, “It went down the wrong thing,” which makes “pipe” seem like a much more technical term. Eat your baby carrots before or after the treadmill. Do not eat them while running on the treadmill.
- Do not drink martinis while running on a treadmill. Sure, you may get thirsty but if you try to drink a martini on the treadmill, it will spill because those glasses have REALLY wide rims and liquid splashes out quite easily. And don’t even think about drinking it out of a sippy cup. That’s just criminal.
- Do not try to moonwalk while running on a treadmill. Today I was on the treadmill and Michael Jackson’s song, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” came on and I SOOO wanted to break out in a moonwalk. Couple problems: One, I don’t know how to moonwalk and two, even if I did, I wouldn’t know which direction to do the moonwalk…toward the front of the treadmill or toward the back. It’s complicated and possibly dangerous.
- Do not paint your nails while running on a treadmill. Enough said.
- Do not invite your dog to join you while running on the treadmill. I just don’t think it’s safe. Is there really enough room for both of you? What if your dog wants to go faster than you? What if your cat, Fluffy, walks by? If your dog really wants to go on the treadmill, you should take turns. Humans and dogs sharing the treadmill is a disaster waiting to happen.
- Do not bend down to pick something up while running on a treadmill. I’ve dropped my ear buds, my tissue, my safety clip, you name it. I always forget that by the time I bend over to pick the item up, it has been flung off the back of the treadmill at warp speed. Well, maybe not warp speed but at least 5.4 MPH.
- Do not listen to the wrong kind of music while running on a treadmill. This is not really a ‘safety’ tip, just something I thought of and wanted to share. Music can be a big motivator. Whether it’s a catchy little ditty or a lyrical masterpiece, music can have a profound impact on a person’s run. Here are a couple of songs that ended up on my running playlist and need to be removed ASAP: Tired – by Adele, Harder to Breathe – by Maroon 5, Another One Bites the Dust – by Queen. Bye bye songs.
I’m sure there are other things you should never do while running on a treadmill but these are the ones I could think of during my 30 minutes on the treadmill. Maybe number eight should be, “Never try to think of things to never do while running on a treadmill.”
Happy, safe running!
QUICK WHIPPET PUPDATE:
Puppy Finn is still adorable
slowgirlfastdog 