Run-commute

Last week while on a run I fell into synch with a fellow runner.

"How far?" I asked. The tall strider noted that he was just running home. "Do you run home everyday?" I asked. He shared that for the past few months he had been run-commuting. Four miles to work, four miles home was his daily distance. Even though his mileage had increased he wasn't feeling worn down. My new acquaintence had his backpack full of work clothes (or so I gathered) adorned with a blinking red safety light. My light was blinking on the back of my sweat-wicking ball cap.

It is not every day that I meet someone who is inspirational. I met a person who fit that bill on this particular evening run.

I like to bicycle to work. It's how I get to my job every weekday. Biking doesn't get me too sweaty since I only have one-and-a-half miles each way. If I had an excuse for why I haven't tried run-commuting it would be that I hadn't thought of it and that there is no shower facility in my building or so far as I know near my building.

Here I am working on a Sunday. No one is around. It was raining earlier. Perfect time for my first run-commute.

Setting out at 6:30 on a Sunday morning to get to work by 7:00 I bundled my dry clothes in a trashbag inside a small bakcpack. I nestled a small thermos of of coffee and Keen sandals in there, too.

How was my first run-commute? Generally great. It took a half-mile or so for me to get in the groove of having a 5-lb backpack on. The rain was no problem as it was well-over freezing. When I arrived the clothes was dry. The coffee was warm. I could get into this as a way to mix things up. I mean I love my bike commute, but knowing that running is possible with a little organization means I will keep it in mind. Maybe I'll commit to run-commuting once a week. Could Friday be my new run-commute day? We'll see.

Is run-commuting for you? Go ahead and try. Pack dry clothes, a washcloth, towel, deodorant, dry shoes and socks. Consider a backup commute-home plan in cse run-commuting isn't for you. There is always a bus or car driver willing to carry you back home. As Frank Orall from Poi Dog Pondering sings "A long, long time ago people would walk wherever they had to go..."