SweatyArmpit

Running To Commute

I really want to run more a week, but between work and family I don’t see it happening soon.
My work lies about 3-3.5km (~2miles) away from my house, so I take the bike to reach it.
Some time ago we were informed that showers are now available to encourage biking to work.
I do not need them, but it gave me the idea to run to work.

It’s not that I’m soaking wet after a So starting this Tuesday (Monday is a day off, hooray) I’ll run to work.
Starting with the most direct route and maybe after some time I’ll add a loop to my route.

But this means a daily workout to my body from now on, which worries me a bit.
It will be low intensity (I’ll jog, not sprint), but a workout none the less.
Which makes me quite curious what effect this will have. I surely hope it won’t get me injured, so wish me luck 😀

Does anyone else run/bike to commute?
Does it strain your body or is it just enough to be a healthy start to the day?

22 comments

  1. Hope says:

    You’re lucky to be so close AND to have showers! I would run to work if we had the shower option. Good luck with your new commute!

  2. bjcjapan says:

    I live just 2km from work. But I walk rather than run. Having to carry dress clothes or plan to leave them at work seems like a lot of trouble. But I often run at lunchtime and take advantage of the gym and showers.

    • ignace_s says:

      I think that important meeting days I’ll keep on riding my bike to save my clothes from extreme wrinkles.
      How long do you run at lunchtime? I have an hour, so incl. showering and eating there’s not an awful lot of time left to run.

  3. Mrs B says:

    I run to work every day. It’s 8 miles and I run with a 15l rucksack. I love it – it means I feel invigorated when I get to work and it’s a great way to add miles to my workouts. I started off taking 1 hr 20 and finally managed to get it under 1hr recently. I’ve never been injured – take it slow and it’ll be fine.

  4. seefleckrun says:

    I run on my lunch break at work – I can usually get in a good 10KM run and be back at my desk within the lunch hour. I’ve been planning on running TO work for a while, but haven’t yet figured out how to get my gear there with me. I think the rucksack idea is a great one. 🙂

  5. lddex says:

    I use to do this. For me it increased my speed. I sometimes just walked to work with my running stuff and leave my work stuff at work, and do a long route back. Or short run to work (already having a set of clothes waiting for me), then long route home. Mix this with your cycling and your training is in good shape. The way home, you can do tempo, or HITT work. Grab every opportunity I say. If you get injured, you get injured… You might get injured doing a park run or long run on a Sunday, so no excuse. I use to run to all my jobs in Manchester, some routes were 8 miles or more, woke me up and got me ready for work with the bonus that I didn’t need to get up at 5am, to do my training before work.

    Enjoy.

  6. I haven’t been running to work yet – it’s 5km to my workplace – but with the bike (vintage with no gears) I get there in around 20-25 minutes. Its quite a workout sometimes as I have to go uphill at some points. 😀

  7. EmmaJCarson says:

    Good luck with it – I think running to work is a great idea. Now it just depends on the attitude of your workmates/management. Despite the fact there was a shower available at my last work (and me always using it when appropriate) I was specifically told that I couldn’t work out/run on my break/come to work straight after a work-out. Can’t remember the precise wording but basically there appeared to be concern about me approaching my computer even if my hair was slightly damp! This – needless to say – did not seem to apply to any of my male colleagues who fancied a work-out. I hope your work-place is less priggish in its approach. Brings to mind the saying – “Horses sweat. Men perspire. Women glow.” (I hate double standards but alas they exist in the 21st century!) I hope this isn’t the case where you work – enjoy your running and thanks for posting.

    • ignace_s says:

      Thx for sharing this. I almost can’t believe it. Luckily everyone at my work respects it. I’ve done it 4 times so far and in the evening I get dressed in the toilet and come out all “sporty” and no one minds.
      I’m really sorry it didn’t work out for you and think your management are conservative minded…

    • SpiketheBike says:

      That sounds like sexism to me, and that is illegal in the workplace. Maybe they need to provide you with a hair dryer? Not a problem I have as a semi bald bloke 🙂

  8. I’ve been run-commuting for about 4 years now – 4-5 miles. The key is to just get super efficient at packing and running with the pack on. Of course, having a shower at the office doesn’t hurt either. The human bodies is amazing and WILL adapt to the additional load.

  9. mrperkins says:

    I would get into it slowly. Why not run twice a week and then bike twice a week along the same route? See how it goes. There’s no need not to be flexible.

    • ignace_s says:

      That’s mostly how it’s going right now indeed.
      I run more than before, but still bike more than I thought I would.
      This way I do get the rest my body needs sometimes.

  10. kelzfowler says:

    Love your post + all the comments below! My biggest challenge is the lack of shower facilities. I tried baby wipes (!!!) but that was just a band-aid… Maybe I’ll start planning and try this again…

Leave a Reply