Well, my run to work went through without a hitch. I was out the door at 7:30 with a small backpack full of extra clothes. The rain that was previously predicted held off and the morning weather was pleasantly cool the entire way. I did pack everything into zip-lock bags so I wasn't worried about the possibility of rain, but all things being equal I prefer to be dry.
I arrived about an hour and twenty minutes later and covered 8.5 miles as planned. A quick change and I was ready for my first meeting of the morning. The run itself was interesting since it provided me with a different perspective of a route a drive on such a regular basis. It is interesting how much stuff you miss while driving a car--such as the amount of trash and roadkill there is on a given country road. Traffic was a little heavier then I prefer; however, commuters were relatively accommodating and moved as far out of my way as was safely possible. I had to do a bit of running on the uneven part of the shoulder so it was sometimes hard to get a good rhythm going at times, but perhaps that is good training for trail running. It does cut into the work day as I had to leave earlier than I usually would in order to make it home at a reasonable time. If I keep this up on a regular basis, which I think I will, I'm going to look into renting a locker over at our sports center so I don't have to carry so much stuff with me.
I did opt not to run in today as previously planned. I had an unanticipated meeting out at the greenhouses this morning and, while I like to run, adding an extra 4 miles in the middle of a 17 mile day felt a bit excessive. It does give you an new appreciation for distance and I figure I must have saved around $3 in gas at current prices. I spent my savings on a piece of pizza for lunch.
Anyway, if any of you out there live close enough to work to give it a try, I recommend the experience. Even if it isn't something that you do on a regular basis, I think it gives you a good perspective on the meaning of distance in a fast moving automotive society. Rather coincidentally, I found out yesterday afternoon that my commute timed with Bike-to-Work Week.
2 comments:
What type of backpack do you use? I've been biking to work for almost year and want to start running to work. I'm a nurse and have to carry srubs in and am looking for a backpack to do so.
I used a Jansport hydration pack. It's just large enough for a change of clothes and a small pair of shoes. I've had it for several years and I couldn't find any model information on the inside label. I think I bought it at a Dick's Sporting Goods.
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