One of my goals this year was to run more consistently in order to become a better runner, a better all around athlete, and a lighter person. While I have gotten better (I started hitting the track with the race team on Tuesdays), I'm still not consistently running any other time except weekends. I have a number of excuses (some valid and others just excuses) that seem to stop me from adding another regular run on Thursdays.
But then I got an idea after reading something on the internet - what if I ran to work? Combining my commute to work with my bike has made me a better and more consistent cyclist, so why can't that happen with running? And as it turns out Thuradays work out perfectly to run to work and then ride home after leaving the bike at work the night before. Sure it was kind of a strange thing to do, but others have done it!
Yesterday I decided to give this crazy plan on mine a whirl. I left the bike at work on Wednesday and got a ride from Sarah to home church, then suited up the next morning for a four-mile run to work.
Overall, I would say that the experience was a success! I won't be trading my bike in for more running shoes, but it's something I can definitely do one day a week.
Some other thoughts from the run:
- Running four miles is way more tiring that cycling. It's a good thing that my office has a shower because I was 20 times sweatier when I showed up at work.
- I got a nice new perspective of my normal commute. It's pretty on a bike, but running on the opposite side of the road to go against traffic put me right along the ocean the entire time with fantastic views.
- This will turn out to be a good regular run. I've gotten used to all the rolling bills on my bike, but they're much tougher on foot.
- People now think I'm crazy. I knew it would happen, so I tried not to talk about it with anyone at work. One girl asked about my backpack and now she thinks I'm nuts. Oh we'll - maybe she's right.