Not every day can be a barefoot on a sandy beach run sort of day.

Majority of us have seasons to deal with and with that there are some times of the year when treadmill running is almost a necessity. Many people I’ve talked with about treadmill running just abso-cotton-pickin-lutely despise the treadmill. “It’s monotonous.” “It smells.” “It’s sickening.” “I can’t last more than 25 min.” “Oh, the deadmill.” You know you’ve heard some comment like that, right?

Personally, I love it. Here are 10 reasons why you should love it too.

10) Pace accountability. Running with a Garmin is one thing, but that annoying beep that tells you you’re running off pace really is annoying. On the treadmill you can dial in your pace and just go with it. It’s a good way to learn to get the feel for a certain pace and not have to keep checking to see that you’re sticking to it.

9) No ice skating. Even if it’s nice out and there’s been a little thaw, there is always ice during the winter months. My husband knows of someone who, even while running in Yak-Tracks, slipped, fell, and broke a vertebra. Yikes! If you’re lucky enough not to slip and fall, you’re most likely running with that half-run-half-ice-skater shuffle much of the time. It’s no good.

8) Entertainment. You may not see much for wildlife, but you can catch up on all your favorite tunes or even shows if you bring a tablet without worrying about being run over. Running with music outdoors is not always safe. Be careful, You!

7) Hills. Are you a flat-lander? Me too. Actually, we have some pretty decent hills around our town, but they’re never very long. Running on a treadmill, you can punch up your hill grade and stick to it for miles if you’d like. I need to do more of that.

6) Parents, hear me. There is hope for you and sticking to regular running during inclement weather, especially if you hit the treadmill. For most of the year, I am one with my B.O.B jog stroller. I love to take the babe out and get in some miles and fresh air together. But let’s face it, it’s not wise to take a small child out in the winter or when it’s 100+ degrees out. With a treadmill, you can run during naptime, or maybe even partition off a play area in the same room as the treadmill. We have a baby fence. The fenced-off baby area in the basement is all but finished in padded walls; it’s completely baby-proofed. I may have a super-baby (not sure) but I once ran 17 miles while he played quietly, no crying. I know. He’s a stud.

5) Smorgasbord. I used to skimp on fluids and fuel during long runs. Now I set myself up for just about any craving. During a recent long run, I had: water, homemade chia energy gel, green tea, homemade sprouted grain crackers, and an electrolyte drink all within arms-reach. It was 21 miles…come on.

4) Multitask. Remember #8 is again a huge draw for me, but I also love to read scripture. I do my best, most focused reading of any kind while on the treadmill. During easy runs, I’ll even type on my iPad. It’s slow and of course cumbersome, but who cares, it gives me a chance to jot down those thoughts and ideas that pop into my head which would otherwise vanish if I ran off and didn’t record anything.

3) The trots. Somewhere towards the middle of a long run way out in broad daylight you know you’ve found yourself holding ‘it’ in, right? Yep, I know. It’s a problem. When logging miles on the treadmill this is never a problem because you’re never far from the loo.

2) Clothing…or lack thereof. I once ran 7 miles on my treadmill in nothing but a sports bra just to say I did. There, I said it. I did. While running completely in the buff would be ill-advised if your treadmill is in a gym or conspicuously positioned in your house, you can rest assured that running on a treadmill will be temperate and planning your attire will be a cinch.

1) Variety. Some people call it the “deadmill” because treadmill running seems monotonous. Well, if you spice up your treadmill running with any of the ideas above, your run will be anything but dead. As a warm up or cool down, you might even try a workout like this to shake things up a bit. You don’t have to be pregnant to try this workout either.

Oh, and there are elites who run almost exclusively, if not regularly, on the treadmill too. Whether you have access to a treadmill at home or a gym, I hope you enjoy your next run.

So how about you, what has been your most interesting or difficult treadmill workout?

Mine was 6 miles easy warm up @7:50 + 6mi Marathon Pace 6:38 + 1mi Tempo 6:20 + 6mi MP-6:38 + 1mi T-6:20 and 2mi easy. Makes me want to hurl just thinking about it.

Talk about your fav or least favorite treadmill run in a comment below. Thanks!