Tips for Commuting on the Run

Below is an article from the New York Road Runners Club www.nyrr.org

Running can be a means of transportation—a simple, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and often efficient way to journey from point A to point B. Commuting to and/or from work (or wherever you travel regularly) can presents challenge, but they may be easier to meet than you think—and the rewards are many.

The Benefits* It’s efficient: You get in your training while doing something you’d have to do anyway.* It’s motivation: The “I can’t get out the door” excuse disappears when you’ve got a destination and a timetable.* You save money: Fewer swipes of your MetroCard or trips to the gas pump can generate significant savings over time.* It’s green: Your running-shoe footprints will definitely reduce your carbon footprint! * It’s pleasant: Wouldn’t you rather be on the run than sweltering on the IRT or waiting for the cross-town bus? The BarriersYou may have thought about running to work but felt it just wasn’t feasible or practical for you. Common concerns include:* The commute is too far to run comfortably (or at all).* Traffic, crowding, or other risks make running potentially dangerous.* There’s nowhere to shower and change when you get to work.* You have too much to carry.* You’ll tarnish your professional image.

Making it Work for You - Tackling the distance: If your home and office are separated by an intimidating number of miles, think about ways to run a portion of the distance: You can step off the bus or subway early and run the rest of the way, or run to and from a commuter park-and-ride, or commute on foot every other day. As you did when you started running, ease into your commute-runs gradually, giving yourself time to experiment and adjust your schedule and routes.

Staying safe: You may have to stay more alert than on a non-commuting run in the park. If there’s car or bike traffic near you, wearing reflective clothing is a good idea, even if you’re not running in the dark. And if you’re unsure about a neighborhood along your route, explore it first by car or with a companion. Other safety issues are familiar from non-commuting runs: turning cars, dogs off their leashes (or on long, near-invisible wire leashes), and ankle-threatening potholes.

Post-run hygeine: Many businesses provide showers or even in-house gyms for employees. If your workplace isn’t this accommodating, you can join a nearby gym and shower and dress there. Another option that’s not as unworkable as you might think is to “shower” in a bathroom by using a sink, soap, and a towel.

Transporting your supplies: A frequent running-commuter practice is to get a week’s worth of clothes to work on Monday, either by public transportation (or car) or by running with a full backpack that morning, and then take them home on Friday. This can leave you free to run with only a small waist-pack for essentials—keys, money, cards, cell phone, maybe some documents folded in a plastic bag. If you regularly need to carry more back and forth, a backpack designed for runners (smaller than the usual multi-pouch knapsack and close-fitting to avoid bouncing) is a good solution.

Maintaining office decorum: If your workplace is the kind in which a sweaty runner is likely to attract raised eyebrows or worse, there are ways to work within the system. If you work in an elevator building, you may be able to finish your run with a jog or speed-walk up the stairs to your floor, thus sparing elevator riders your post-run aura. If stairs aren’t available, using a service elevator or arriving at “off-peak” elevator hours are other options. In general, commuting runners find that being “that crazy runner who runs to work” is good for corporate image, a source of supportive office banter, and a way to stand out positively. But use good judgment; discussing your situation with a supervisor in advance may be prudent.

Varying your routine: Also, because the run is a prescribed (minimum) distance, you can fall into the rut of running many identical workouts. Variation can be supplied by changing the intensity of the run; you can incorporate a tempo-run segment on one day, add 30-second pickups on another, and even do a full-fledged interval session during your commute. (Using an online course-measuring device such as USATF’s “America’s Running Routes” (www.usatf.org/routes/map/) can give you exact distances.) Keep in mind too that concrete sidewalks are the hardest of all running surfaces; asphalt is far better—if it’s safe.
Runners who commute do it because it’s efficient, economical, and fun. Also, if getting to work each day requires that you do your daily workout as well, you’ll definitely reduce the likelihood of unwanted zeroes piling up in your running log.

Adapted from “Alternative to the MetroCard” by Robert Cox, New York Runner, Summer 2004.