How to successfully train on the treadmill

 Maybe your like me, and have to use the treadmill as a main means of running. While running outside is *somewhat* possible, I can't seem to get the motivation or discipline to wake up before my kids to get outside. My laziness has me on the dreadmill, I mean treadmill. I've actually started to enjoy it as of late, as I've mentioned in another post, thanks to my system.
 Staring at the wall (or a mirror if your really lucky ) for how many miles, only hearing the hum of the motor can be.. well it's equal to torture.
 First you need music.. If you are super lucky and the gods of all things techy grant you with those new fangled mp3 players or an ipod, your covered..  or perhaps you aren't as lucky, good news you can use a computer!! I use a laptop. Second you need to some sort of playlist to keep you pumped while treading the miles. I have spotify for my playlists. Love it. Some use pandora (boo), but spotify is far superior. There are some good playlist suggestions if you search in pinterest.
 For some having music and staring at a wall is enough to keep from going mentally insane. For me its not. I have to look at something other than a blank wall (and pictures don't work.. tried it.).. Some treadmills have tvs built in, or your gym has them everywhere, so you have this one covered. I'm super ghetto, with my 2 lap tops (helps being married to a IT guy, who has this crap just lying around). One playing music the other a movie, and somehow I'm able to retain some of sanity through my runs.

I've got to get me one of these..

Make sure you figure out when the treadmill shuts off. Most treadmills turn off after a certain time. Mine turns off at 100 mins. Thankfully I was done with my run and walking when I found that out. Had I been running, I probably would have slammed into the front of the machine, as it just turns off.
 Funny movies or tv shows seem to distract better than serious. I've tried watching dexter and amistad, and those runs were difficult. If you are watching a movie with subtitles, avoid a woody allen or foreign movies, I feel like I going to go crosseyed if there is a lot of reading involved.
 Try to run outside every now and then, so your legs aren't like "WTF is this!!" when you take to asphalt or concrete.
Mix in intervals. Those are my favorite. I always feel like a rock star when I finish an interval run.
 Although I'm looking forward to when it stays light longer, my system is working for now.
 Have any tips that works for you?