Gym ettiquette?

Goal: up at 5:00; 6 mile run
Reality: up at 5:05; 5 mile run

Well once again I failed at going to bed early. Rodgy and I stayed up watching Downton Abbey (season three is just around the corner!!!) and before I knew it, ten o'clock had come and gone. S

But- the coffee was brewed and I only pressed snooze once- and felt so guilty I didn't press it again.

Onto the run- I had hoped to run 6 miles. I had gone 2.5 and needed to hop off the treadmill to use the restroom. I pressed pause, left my ipod and sweat towel on the machine, and scurried off. I came back after a little over a minute (maybe? I didn't time it...) to find a woman already on my machine! She was shoving my stuff off to the side and was getting the machine all reset. I stood at the side of the machine until she noticed me (she had headphones in so it took a minute) when I reached for my ipod. She asked if I was still using it and seemed genuinely annoyed when I replied that yes, I had just run to the restroom... I mean, I seriously wasn't off the machine long enough for the "workout summary" screen to be gone. I just went another 2.5 after I regained control of treadmill #4 but was so bored at that point I stepped off. I finished with lunges, abs, and pushups.

So...my mid-workout treadmill takeover highlights a common problem in gyms, especially small ones like my current gym. There are only four (!) treadmills.

three of the four treadmills (www.anytimefitness.com/gyms)

                    

When the mister and I signed up I made sure to ask about time limits on the machines, and the standard answer (30 min or less when busy) was given. Therefore, I think that I was okay asking for my machine back today- although the other machines were in use I had been using it for less than 30 minutes. Thoughts?

I have used gyms without a time limit (a runner would do 20 mile runs for marathon training there!! Crazy!) and gyms that had the 30 minute time limit plastered all over the place. At one gym I remember people getting in line behind my treadmill once I got to the 26 or 27 minute point. I am more a fan of the no limit policy- I mean, cardio is good for you! But I see the point in limiting usage during busy times.  It is annoying when you have to wait for a machine...but also annoying to have a queue forming behind you, getting flicked with sweat...

Tomorrow I'm hoping for another 5:00 work out. Is is sad that my friend and I made running plans for 7:45 on Saturday and I thought oh good, I can sleep in??