Information is Power.

Few people enjoy running on a treadmill (well few people I know anyway). Most (of my acquaintances) put up with it as an alternative to the frequently harsh weather and horrible footing of an Ottawa winter.

I usually do some kind of interval workout, or incremental workout, that moves me through my different training paces for 20 to 40 minutes. It helps to break the monotony.

All my training paces are in metric.  This being Canada, you would assume that treadmill in this country would be set to metric, but you would be wrong. At the downtown Y, of the twenty odd treadmills three had been metric,  the two older models (which I prefer anyway because the buttons are more responsive, an important feature when doing intervals).  That is until one disappeared and another magically became "Imperial" (which in this context sounds remarkably evil).  I had one treadmill left, and if someone happened to be using it I was out of luck. (I have discovered that those who seem to actually like treadmills don't seem to care what system of measurement they are using, but I digress).

Yesterday as luck would have it, my one treadmill was free.  Sadly, and much to my dismay, it had been reset to "Imperial". I was not a happy YMCA camper.

I complained and they put a note in for the volunteers who maintain the treadmills, but I decided then and there to take matters into my own hands. I went back and noted the manufactures name and the model number of my beloved treadmill, and proceeded to have a horrible workout because I couldn't figure out my paces.

Today I downloaded manual for the PRECOR 962c treadmill and have discovered the previously secret knowledge hidden within.  Armed with STOP-DOWN-UP-QUICKSTART, select UNITS, press ENTER, I will from this day forward never be dependant on fate to ensure a successful workout.

Or at least one where I'll know how fast (or slow) I'm going!