I completly agree with bluetoblue, I love the treadmill and I don't think i could live without the Mp3 player BUT sometimes I still get bored lol So to make it more interesting I almost break up my treadmill time in intervels Ill warm up 5-10 min at a easy pace then slowly up the speed and the incline, every 2 - 5 minutes, then slowly go back down every 2- 5 minutes, then the last 5 minutes I totally go all out and run my butt off (At least Im hoping thats what happens lol) then I do the good ol cool down....a trainer seen me one day doing that and asked me who told me to do that and I said "no one, is it wrong?" ...he told me that It wasn't wrong infact it was great and a really good way to burn more fat

I also can't read on the treadmill, its like trying to read in the car, the words jump around and i start feeling dizzy lol AND My Gyms has Tvs usually I don't listen but one day a funny show was on "my wife and kids" and I decided to tune in and listen...BIG mistake I started laughin so hard (luckily so were other people lol) thaaaat yea I almost fell off the treadmill lol

i think there's some great help for you. i personally dont' have any suggestion because i, like you, don't like the treadmill. but i'm a big outdoor fan so i preferr running/walking outdoors. It gives me energy. but hope you find something that helps you

The only way I can suffer through a dreadmill workout is if I do intervals or speedwork. and no preprogrammed either, I have to manually make the changes that way I have an excuse to clock watch. My favorite is start a bit slower than steady state and every 3 minutes or so (depending on how long you want to go) bump up the speed 0.1. I set it up so the middle interval is my normal steady state.

Or every 3 minutes change elevation

And now I see that is exactly what bluetoblue said! that is what I get for posting without reading!

But I will do anything and I mean ANYTHING to avoid running on a treadmill and run outside instead. 4:45 am? ok. Dark..no problem. Cold no problem. Rainy no problem. Glare ice....ok thats a problem! I havent run on a treadmill since last winter.

I meet a buddy at the gym in the mornings, and having someone to talk to makes all the difference in the world in my ability to tolerate "dreadmill" time.

Just for starters, I HATE the treadmill. I also am not a fan of Steady-State cardio in general. When I was doing a lot of SS Cardio, last year, I listened to Audiobooks on my iPod to stay entertained--I rarely listened to music. I think, though, that if you can read while you're on the treadmill/elliptical/bike/whatever, that you're not moving fast enough to get much of a workout (no offense meant). I guess there's the idea that "something's better than nothing", but if you're gonna get on a blasted machine, you might as well WORK it, y'know? Personally, I think I'd get queasy trying to read a magazine/book on a cardio machine, even if I was taking it really easy.

Have you looked into classes at your gym (if you're a member of one) or looked into ones at a local gym if you're not a member? Often the classes are free or reasonably priced for members, and a little pricier for non-members. I think classes are a GREAT way to get cardio in without being bored to tears.

At my University gym, they offer several classes. I love the Cardio Kickboxing class they offer and I go two nights a week for an hour. It's never boring because the instructor is constantly changing directions, keeping you moving, teaching you new moves... My heart rate stays HIGH (I have a HRM, so I know!) and I stay interested.

Outside of that class, I'm doing HIIT three days a week. 5 minute warm-up, then sprints for 10 minutes (Sprint from x to x, then walk back and repeat).

Angie hates the treadmill! She says why would I do "that' when I have the entire outdoors.

I love the treadmill...I have my TV....my stereo....my fan....my shelf I can reach with water, my cell and home phone, tissues for my tears and I can work-out in my boxers! The last time I did that outdoors I was laughed at...not a pretty picture.

And it is really a mental image I could have done without

Hey! I'm almost in shape ....well...not really!

I don't have access to a treadmill anymore...wish I did. But when I did the treadmill, I would either pop in a video/dvd to watch, listen to music (I'd highly suggest getting an iPod or some CDs...anything but being relegated to the eek! radio LOL), or I'd read. I got a steno stand that attaches to a desk but attached it to the back of the treadmill instead and got a page marker that holds your book open. It never got boring.

I am with the treadmill haters...okay, I don't hate the treadmill...the treadmill is my friend. It just bores the heck out of me. No amount of music, or t.v helps with the boredom but I walk on it anyway, lol. I miss up my routines so it doesn't become monotonous. I walk at the park 3-4 days a week, walk the neighborhood, and do videos. If I didn't do this I would not be able to walk on the treadmill. I do it in between, or when the weather is too bad outdoors to walk, or when I've had a busy day and couldn't get outdoors to walk. I would rather be outside for sure.

While I don't *love* the treadmill, I have found ways to make it less boring for me. I try out all the different workout settings, which keeps me from getting bored. I also love audiobooks (ones that I only allow myself to listen to while treadmilling), grammar girl podcasts and CarTalk. I use peppy, silly music and find if work out in 20 minute intervals I'm less apt to get bored.

Nevertheless, there are still times when the treadmill is so boring I want to cry and usually I get off it and get on the elliptical. 20 minutes on the elliptical and I'm grateful to get back on the "boring" treadmill.