White elephant?

I don't get the time for roadwork as I usually get home too late. I'll jog on the road on weekends and when I do get home early.

I want to get rid of a few pounds and get a little fitter.

Good idea?

I don't really like treadmills though, maybe one gets used to them after a bit?

Your going to get eaten by a giant HIPPO. Those fuckers are fierce

I LUST you... Will you have my babies?

exercise equipment to me is tolerable, although the only time I will use them is if i just get too lazy because of extreme cold, or if it's raining hard. I like being able to read while exercising - that's the best thing about exercise machines. I also use the no impact cardio machines to recover from ankle sprains, etc.

What about getting up earlier and running in the a.m.? This is what I do in the summer when the other option is afternoon jogs in 100 degrees and 90% humidity. If that doesn't work for you, consider running some sort of trail or track at night with a headlamp.

ah yes - southern hemisphere and all. I usually use these elliptical type things or stair steppers - I get dirt cheap access to my wife's university gym - these have a place to put a book and you're not thrashing around a lot like running so reading is easy, holding and turning pages can suck though. Treadmill would be more difficult to read. Yeah in winter I do frequent the cardio machines and although they have many downsides/limitations, for me it's better than not getting a workout. A gym membership for winter would give you the option of different types of machines so you could switch it up, and a place with a pool would give you another way to get some cardio.

Treadmills are weird when you first start but you'll get used to it eventually. They're easier on the joints, which is good, but I find I end up modifying my stride when I use them which screws me up when I head back outside.

If you're able to read while exercising, then you probably aren't pushing yourself very hard. Particularly on a treadmill. If easy mileage is your goal, then I guess it could work. At the gym, I'll just check out the eye candy in the group fitness classes while on the treadmill or elliptical. Or watch TV (Buffy is usually on).

I bought one.

It's arriving tomorrow.

Oh well, I'll see how it goes.

Not as fun as climbing, but it will be good for approach training.

You should have bought a Treadwall. 2000 feet of slab is a great bit of cardio [/shameless plug]