Indoor workout hazards-part II

Ancient Sony Discman (yes, my listening technology is also 10 years behind the times) or instrument of torture? After my sprint workout this weekend, I'm not so sure. While Betsy and Julie have managed to whack their shins while riding their trainers, I have discovered another hazard of training indoors in the cold, dry weather: static electricity. I was doing my first sprint workout of the year on rollers with a magnetic attachment, listening to the Spin Doctors on headphones so as not to disturb my landlord (although I'm sure he's getting mighty tired of the rumbling on his ceiling). The first three sprints went well, and I was happy with the numbers I was seeing. Then on #4, just as I hit a new PR for max speed on rollers, a bolt of electricity arced between my right earpiece and a plaque on the wall next to me (did I mention the rollers had scooted over during my last sprint and were now lightly rubbing against a furry bath mat I have underneath?). The jolt nearly caused me to crash, but I recovered and yanked off the headphones. I decided to switch to speakers after that, my landlord be damned, because I had four more sprints left to do, but now I was nervous every time I started to crank up my speed and couldn't get it up enough to make them worthwhile. Perhaps like a rat in a Skinner box, I became conditioned very quickly not to do the thing associated with the shock, or perhaps the jolt zapped all my energy, but the rest of the workout was a low-energy slog.

Is it time to buy an iPod? Or a less furry bath mat? Maybe the cycling gods are trying to tell me I'm not meant to be a sprinter...