The Even Better Way
I’ve come up with a plan to keep my winter run mileage in the respectable zone - at least once a week, I’ve decided, I’ll run to and from work. This is alot better than relying on the after-work hours to get the short runs in, since from November to March the only thing I feel like doing after work once I peel off all my winter cycling togs is eating dinner and relaxing. And writing this blog, of course.
The system works like this: on Day 1 I ride to work, carrying my running gear and extra work clothes in my pack. Then I run home at the end of the day. On Day 2 I run back to work, shower and get ready to take on the day. Then I ride home that night. The original plan was to do this tuesday through friday, but bad weather has limited the plan’s success somewhat. I’ve managed to do one round trip run 2 weeks out of the past 3, which isn’t bad and may be the best I can hope for over the deepest darkest winter when treacherous footing and crazy cold temperatures make running a challenge. One I’m not up for, it would seem... although thursday's run (November 24) was not too bad even though it was -10 with a windchill and snow and ice all over the place. Too icy to bike to work, that’s for sure , so a run was just the thing.
Besides maximizing my training time, one unforeseen plus from all this commuter running is that not only do I get to feel smug and superior to motorists every morning, as I do when I ride my bike to work, I also now get to look with disdain upon pedestrians as I stride past them, exuding good health and an economical running style. ‘Pah!’ i think as I lope along - ‘ you’re probably just walking to Starbucks, aren’t you? Whereas I have run, run to my job, a distance so great that you could not even comprehend it were I to tell you the number.’ Actually it’s about 7 km. Half an hour or so, depending on conditions, and just enough to work up a sweat but not so far that I’m trashed at the end of it.
The only downside so far is that running twice in roughly 12 hours is not alot of recovery time and right now my legs are pretty sore. Post 1/2 marathon kind of sore. But that may be partly a result of a gym workout yesterday on top of the running.
If I can keep this going and also get my long(ish) run in on the weekends then I should be in good shape come the spring.
The system works like this: on Day 1 I ride to work, carrying my running gear and extra work clothes in my pack. Then I run home at the end of the day. On Day 2 I run back to work, shower and get ready to take on the day. Then I ride home that night. The original plan was to do this tuesday through friday, but bad weather has limited the plan’s success somewhat. I’ve managed to do one round trip run 2 weeks out of the past 3, which isn’t bad and may be the best I can hope for over the deepest darkest winter when treacherous footing and crazy cold temperatures make running a challenge. One I’m not up for, it would seem... although thursday's run (November 24) was not too bad even though it was -10 with a windchill and snow and ice all over the place. Too icy to bike to work, that’s for sure , so a run was just the thing.
Besides maximizing my training time, one unforeseen plus from all this commuter running is that not only do I get to feel smug and superior to motorists every morning, as I do when I ride my bike to work, I also now get to look with disdain upon pedestrians as I stride past them, exuding good health and an economical running style. ‘Pah!’ i think as I lope along - ‘ you’re probably just walking to Starbucks, aren’t you? Whereas I have run, run to my job, a distance so great that you could not even comprehend it were I to tell you the number.’ Actually it’s about 7 km. Half an hour or so, depending on conditions, and just enough to work up a sweat but not so far that I’m trashed at the end of it.
The only downside so far is that running twice in roughly 12 hours is not alot of recovery time and right now my legs are pretty sore. Post 1/2 marathon kind of sore. But that may be partly a result of a gym workout yesterday on top of the running.
If I can keep this going and also get my long(ish) run in on the weekends then I should be in good shape come the spring.
posted by carbonman at 9:34 AM
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