The Run Commuter News Roundup – January 9, 2012

Rather than post a single, interesting run commuting-related news bit every once in a while, I’ve decided to try posting a few at once in a digest format.   The articles and stories may come from newspapers, websites, individual blogs, or even buzz from online running forums, so if you know of any good stuff out there, let us know by emailing it to theruncommuter@gmail.com and it may show up in a future edition of the News Roundup.

Today’s edition is focused on the loooooong run commute…

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Land of 10,000 Stories: Man parks car, runs 31 miles to work

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Thirty-one rush-hour-miles stand between the country home near River Falls, Wisconsin and the Eagan, Minnesota offices of Thomson Reuters. 

On his last day before retirement, Jim Simonet vowed he would drive those 31 miles no more.  Then he ran to work instead.

“I don’t enjoy traffic, no,” says Simonet, who had been commuting from River Falls to his job at Thomson Reuters for 36 years.

But his eight-hour run in bone-chilling weather was no traffic avoidance maneuver.   Simonet had a point to make about his post-retirement years: “Life doesn’t quit when you retire. To me it’s just a chance to go on to the next excellent adventure.”

Note:  You should really watch the video as it briefly documents his whole run.  This guy is inspiring and awesome!

RushRunner: Run to Work Day

FORT COLLINS, Col. – The Official Run to Work day isn’t until 24 February, but I couldn’t wait.  Actually it is something I’ve thought about doing for awhile.  The timing of Shannon’s announcement with a busy Saturday and icy not very runnable trails made me think “why not this week?”.  Like all successful grand ideas, the idea struck and enough groundwork to not be able to back out was laid down before any reality could set in.  I have found that is the best way to do stuff you might otherwise talk yourself out of doing.  For better or worse.

I first thought of the idea on Wednesday while driving to work.  I mapped it out over lunch, told a couple of my runner friends in the afternoon (so I couldn’t back out), and packed an extra lunch and extra clothes and such Wednesday evening.  Thursday at work one of my friends asked me what time I had to leave.  Hmm, I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.  The route I mapped was 21 miles, give myself a leisurely 4 hours, arrive to work at 7:30 to have time to shower before 8:00, holy crap, I have to leave at what time?  Like I said above, best to commit before figuring out too many of the gory details.

Southsider Rick Sica hoofs it to work, no matter the weather

SOUTHPORT, Ind. – You may not know Rick Sica’s name, but if you commute to work in Downtown Indianapolis, you may have seen him jogging on the side of the road.

Sica is “the Southside runner.” Rain, shine or snow, he runs from his home in Southport to his office job in Downtown Indianapolis and back two to four times each week — 18 miles round-trip.

“It keeps me in shape,” he said. “I do run competitively, and this keeps my mileage up.”

Sica, 46, competes in 5Ks, half-marathons and marathons. His favorites are the half-marathons, a distance of a little more than 13 miles.

“It all started when I moved to Indianapolis from Cincinnati in 1991. A few years after that, I decided to start running to work to see if I could get more mileage in.”

Author: Josh

Run commuter for over a decade. Father of three boys. Husband of the world's greatest bicycle advocate. Can be found running everywhere in and around Atlanta, Georgia.

5 thoughts on “The Run Commuter News Roundup – January 9, 2012”

      1. Indeed! I set up an RSS feed some time ago to pick up “run commute” stories but canceled it because I kept getting stories that contained those words but not together. If I come across others, I will be sure to bounce them your way.

        1. hehe, I hear you. I have to use multiple, odd search variants for my alerts in order to get anything useful out of it.

          We’d greatly appreciate any forwards, though, and thanks for reading!

  1. I am on my second week of exercise commuting (i can’t say RUN commuter just yet), articles like these will help keep me going. Glad I found your blog.

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