Gained Some Personal Knowledge

Treadmills can be dangerous. Stepping onto one that is going at a brisk 6mph may cause falls, abrasions, burns, and most of all extreme embarrassment. Trust me, I know.


There are about 40 of my closest gym friends laughing hysterically as they recount "the accident" to everyone they know. I can hear it now..."she got a few stumbles in before falling onto her knees, then right onto her side then bam off the treadmill and against the mirror wall, it was incredible!"


I was completely absorbed in picking out my gym play list on my iPod while I wondered over to "my" treadmill, the one under the ceiling fan. With my music playing and me staring down at my iPod I stepped onto that twirling monster completely unaware that someone had left it turned on.


In the few seconds that my treadmill acrobatics lasted a lot went through my mind. First, why is this thing trying to throw me off?! Then, wow its really tossing me around! Lastly I heard all the gasps, "oh my"s, and I think a few chuckles, as I finally came to rest smashed up against the wall that I had been thrown into.


I quickly returned to my feet, exclaimed to everyone "that was really embarrassing," got back on the now stopped treadmill, and began my run.


The lady next to me and gym people were really freaked out. I might have snickered a little when she screamed call 911, but I realized that she now had the attention of everyone in the gym, including the people who had not be fortunate enough to witness my impressive spill. The gym workers wanted to listen to the lady and have paramedics "check me out". I cringed and assured them that if I'm well enough to run, I probably didn't need their assistance. I already had enough people laughing at me, I really didn't need a couple of paramedics laughing too. I know they would.


The lady that left the treadmill on came over to "apologize" by saying she didn't think anyone would be so oblivious as to step onto an already moving treadmill (okay, I have to give her that one), and she had left it on because she couldn't get it to turn off. Umm....thanks? Oh and by the way its that giant red button that says STOP.