So motivating myself to run before Christmas got difficult. Dark nights and dark mornings putting me off leaving the house. So at New Years I made a little goal and ordered myself a backpack to have a go at a run commute.
#1 Practice with your rucksack
I think was naive for thinking I could get away with just 1 practice run before my first run commute home. This was an error. My first run commute was a bit of a disaster. Not only was I nervous wearing running gear on the train (after a couple of runs I now don’t give AF) but my bag wobbled like crazy and pissed me off beyond belief. Run commute #2 taught me that the straps on my bag needed tightening just before I set off and walk a bit more to warm up.
#2 Be prepared to leave stuff at work
I’ve stolen this one from Charlie. I thought I’d been clever enough on commute #1 that I’d not have to leave anything behind. Turns out my giant blanket like scarf does not fit in my rucksack with my coat, so that got left behind. Also my ridic amount of Tupperware for lunch stuff, most of that doesn’t fit either. I’ve rectified it now, buying more lunch boxes (I can bring the ones I leave behind home from work another day) and I’ve swapped the giant scarf for a smaller one.
#3 Running with weight is so different
Kinda linked to #1. I did put stuff in my bag to practice with but not as much as what is in after a day at work. Be prepared to stretch more than usual, it’s taking work to make my running feel normal with a backpack. I think the more I run with it the more I will get there. Focusing on strengthening my back and shoulders at hydrotherapy is helping.
#4 It’s so nice to have your evening back
I absolutely have no joy in getting home and then changing to go back out again for a run when it’s dark outside. Come summer I imagine I’ll run commute less as I didn’t have the same issue (even during the heatwave!) But for now, I get off the train in the dark, so to get the run out of the way means I save myself half an hour of faff and the mental battle to get myself out of the door again (especially as my walk home is almost 3k and mostly uphill – great training!) Means more time for chilling out.
Overall it’s been a real learning curve and I’m only on run commute #4. It’s generally been positive in amongst the awkwardness of the train journey home in running gear (sadly I live too far away to run all the way home from work!) So have you embraced the run commute? Would you give it a go? Do you have any tips for me? Let me know in the comments,
