Don't Tread on Me

Several months ago my Mom asked me if I wanted their treadmill.  This immediately sent me into panic mode!
1. I would have to find a place for it in my overly cluttered small house that is already overloaded with crap in every room.
2. If I took it then I would HAVE to use it, which creates another whole anxiety list.
3. How would I get it from her basement to my house, after all I don't have a truck, a husband or boyfriend to help.
4. Was I THAT committed to walking?
So I politely declined, not ready to overload my brain with any of the aforementioned stresses.
Then fall hit and I was "falling" behind in my walking and weight loss.  I have pretty much stayed the same weight the whole month of October, this is not acceptable.  It was becoming harder to find daylight time to walk and as much as I detest walking in the heat and sweating, I have found that I dislike walking in the cold almost as much.
So begrudgingly I decided that if I were to continue on this weight loss journey I would have to take my parents up on their offer of a "free" treadmill.
Once I made up my mind and told my Mom that I wanted it, I started the ball rolling. 
I knew that the only place I might be able to find room for it was in the den and it would have to be in a room with a TV in order for there to be even a remote chance of success.  
 Now I am not a spacial person, you should see me try to fit leftovers in Tupperware- I inevitably choose one that is too small or way too large.  I spent several days looking over my den and trying to visualize just where it would go.  I thought I had it all figured out.
I bribed my neighbor with wine and he was all too willing to help- a God send.
So on Saturday night( yes we waited until it was dark- brilliant move on our part), Kevin and I drove over to my parents house in his truck. 
 Thankfully the treadmill was in the basement right next to an outside door.  Kevin and I each took a side and tried lifting it.  I was ready to give up right then and there, I could not see how we were going to move it, let alone get it up the steps. Kevin was not so dissuaded.  He was determined to do this thing.
We were able to get it over to the steps but were snared by the door jam, we couldn't get the door open far enough to get it through.  Once again, I was ready to pack it in, oh well we tried!  Kevin, not so much- he brutely moved 2 cabinets out of the way so that the door would open wider and instructed me on how to maneuver it through the door. 
Once we had it out the door I thought once again that all hope was lost.  How were we going to get it up the steps?  I went through the house and out the back door to grab the top while Kevin hefted from the bottom.  Surprisingly we were able to get it to the top!  Both of us, huffing and puffing took a break while we contemplated getting it down the small hill and into the truck. 
Luckily it had wheels.  I pushed and Kevin pulled as we wheeled it over the grass and down the hill.  One more manly heave and we had it in the back of the truck! I don't think our breathing returned to normal until we were almost home.
My house was a bit easier, over the grass to the backyard and in through the sliding glass door right in to the den!  We plopped it right in the door and I defiantly announced that I was DONE.  After all I had not cleared a spot for it and was not willing to exert myself anymore, it was Saturday night after all.  We spent the rest of the evening drinking wine on the porch!  Success!!
All of this meant that I would have to spend today trying to figure out where it would go.  I started out with my original plan, to put it alongside the couch.  Epic fail- it completely blocked the steps forcing anyone coming down the 2 steps into the den to walk over the treadmill to get around.
On to plan B, which required me to remove a table and a ton of junk from the corner (which is still sitting in a pile in the den) and also move a large junk filled cabinet.  At first I thought that I would have to move the cabinet into the dining room which sent my mind into another fit of anxiety for several reasons (see #3 above).  It would be physically impossible for me to do it alone- damn singlehood.
In a brief moment of clarity I decided to turn the cabinet around and push it up against the other wall praying that it would allow enough room for the treadmill to open up.  I had to remove 3 drawers and slowly was able to push it into place.  Now for the moment of truth- I moved the treadmill up against the couch and tried to open it.  Yeah I think you know where this is going- it bumped into the cabinet.
I assessed the couch situation and saw that I had a little room to move it down the wall a bit- one problem tho- my daughter was asleep on it.  I decided to take a bit of a break and wait for her to wake up- this was becoming more of an ordeal than I had bargained for but now I was more determined than ever to get it to work BY MYSELF, muttering my favorite saying in my head- I don't need no stinkin man! (Ok ok I did need one to get it here I know).

When Anna woke up, I pushed the couch down as far as I could and tried again- ALMOST but not quite.  Pushing the couch and then the treadmill closer and closer I kept trying until finally success!!!  (although I can't open the bottom drawer of the cabinet, but that is ok it is only filled with note cards and thank you notes and who uses THEM anymore really?).  I had done it!!

Now time to walk!  I found the movie, We Bought a Zoo, tied my shoes and hopped on. 

Now when I walk in the neighborhood I usually average about 3.5 mph so I worked up to that on the treadmill and soon found out that walking on a treadmill is a bit different than on the street.  I settled at about 2.7mph and pushed myself to walk 2 miles.  I was first going to stop at a mile, then a mile and a half and then decided I would go for the full 2.  It took me about 40 minutes.  When I hopped off I felt like I was a newborn calf.  My legs were jello and I felt a bit lightheaded.  Yup walking the treadmill was going to take some getting used to.

I have decided that I will set a goal to walk 1-2 miles a day for as many days a week as I can.  Being able to watch TV or play on the ipad while walking is kinda thrilling!  Both of the girls have taken a spin on it as well, which is kinda cool (runners in the making?).

So there ya have it, my anxiety filled adventures of getting a  treadmill.  Was it worth it?  I'll tell you about it in a few weeks!

Until then,
I Have to find a place for all the displaced crap