The Answer To My Prayers (the sequel)

So imagine this, its breakfast time and my youngest child brings her empty cereal bowl over to me and puffs out here belly and says, “Look Daddy, my belly is full like yours now!”

Later that same morning my oldest is watching me get dressed for work and she we just a bit more direct noting, “Gee Daddy, you’re fat.” Thanks bud.

Yes I enjoyed the holidays a bit too much! It seems  like it was only yesterday I was bragging about moving back an extra notch on my belt loop. It must have went to my head making me feel invincible!

So this week I received (another) answer to my prayers!

We purchased a treadmill for our home. It’s a beauty!

I shopped around after the beginning of the year and found a FreeMotion 860 treadmill for about half off after sale prices and discounts and apology discounts (more on that later)

I wanted a treadmill that would stand up to the beating I can give a treadmill for high speeds and long periods of time. I also wanted one that I thought would last.

This is one of the new high techy treadmills that can use Google earth to pinpoint a running course. The first 3 days I ran along a wonderful road in Hawaii. Then I opted for a series of running courses from 12 islands from all over the world to run on. Here is some of the technology:

Ifit video 

So yes, I can draw a map  of where I want to run. In fact if you want to leave me your zip code and the street you live on in the comments below I could go running by your house. Maybe we could go for a run together then?  🙂

After I set up the treadmill I chose the last tab, Hana Trail route under the Video tab. It was not made by National Geographic. It was running a back road along the coast of Maui, through a rain forest on the island and some beaches. Beautiful! I ran solid for 35 minutes, taking in the sites. I never stopped but was motivated to keep exploring the running path. I put Maui on my Bucket List by the way.

Yes, you can control your speed. The treadmill not only has a 12% incline but it has a 3% DECLINE to replicate a downhill run. This  model by FreeMotion has 2 speakers for either a narrator on my scenic runs, a fitness coach, or music from my Ipod. It also has two built-in fans which can help you from getting overheated. I like them blowing on me to make me feel like I am actually running faster.

But after the third day of this glorious treadmill the technology on this iFit gadget stopped working properly and was left caught in a loop of looking for the Internet. This loop precedes the logging in screen so I can not get to the screen just to run, rendering my treadmill inoperable….after 3 days…and waiting 15 days for it to ship from the manufacturer.

How would you feel about that?

So I called the iFit team for a remedy and they told me they will overnight a ‘card’ that I can insert in my machine to make everything ok…..as soon as they come in. Yes the cards are out of stock. And the young customer service rep I just spook with says the consoles, which is what is broken on mine, are out of stock too.

Possibly I am not the only having trouble with this machine, huh?

If we didn’t spend so much money on this blasted machine it would almost be laughable. Not unlike the first time I stepped on a treadmill in the gym….

I got this treadmill online instead of just buying one at the store. The manufacturer took 11 (frickin) days just to put it in the mail. I hope iFit is not that lackadaisical towards their new customers once they have their money. But it appears so.

Yes, customer service is such a subjective term these days.

Anyway, I got it in the mail and had to put a few things together to set it up. After a few hours I was done and eager to try out my new treadmill…the proverbial ‘answer to my prayers’….

Actually the treadmill worked great and I did a good job installing it if I do say so myself! It ran smooth. The extra features, like speakers, fans, and decline were like running in paradise. It was powerful and able to stand up to the kind of running I like to do….when I am 15 pounds lighter.

But I know what you are thinking… yes as a good parent I must make sure my young girls don’t try to use the treadmill since they are not used to one…

 It does look a bit like a contact sport after all.

But not running on this gem after having tested it out and enjoyed it for the brief time that it did work is really frustrating.

How am I going to lost this weight?

Have I just wasted  a bunch of money on a dream of losing weight and running fast again?

Does no company out there have any kind of initiative to taking care of its customers any more like, dare I say, the old days?

That really bothers me maybe the most when I think of how I try to take care of my customers instead of ‘they will get it when they get it’ mentality.

(sigh)

Maybe I should just use and stick to what I do best…

and I will look like this someday on my overpriced treadmill…

In all seriousness, I set it up. I absolutely love(d) it! The Freemotion 860 makes running more enjoyable (when running properly) if not more tolerable by running trails in Hawaii and all over the world (theoretically).

It would give me the opportunity to be burning calories, getting in shape, getting my running form back, and exuding all kinds of self-confidence! Even enough to take a selfie the first night before I knocked out 35 minutes running down the road from Maui…

Yes, be careful what you pray for. God asks you to pray for the things you want. That way he can give you what you need.

Ouch!