Did everyone enjoy running to work on Run to Work Day? TRICK QUESTION: of course you did. We heard from many of you, pre- and post-RtWD. Here is a sampling of some of the excitement that simmered in from Internaut, followed by my own experience and photographs.
Our pal and fellow Atlantan Hall said, “Good timing! My car needs some work, so I started riding MARTA, then I realized it’d be just as quick (faster even, if you can believe it) to run commute. Plus I needed to start adding miles to my training.” Not the first time in Atlanta’s congested streets that runners and riders have outpaced transit.
Christina, who discovered the event last-minute, jumped in regardless, eager. She has a great recap with photos, and her day-before prep. You might wonder whether she successfully summited the 0.7 mile-long Torrey Pines Hill at the end of her run. Go find out! (She did. TRUMPH.)
Matt and a partner, unable to go on Feb. 24, will instead brave their run commute on April 6. “Brave” it is apt: they will run 40 miles to work. They have a debate going: “Can we be late or do we have to be at work on time?” Your thoughts?
Aggie, with a wealth of commitments and dearth of time, saw this as an opportunity to notch some miles. “My job is just some 4.5 miles away, so I usually try to alternate running to with running from work. … Between school and work the commute runs are the only option for me to get any training going during the work week.”
And our pal Byron, known locally as one of the go-to guys regarding bicycles, jumped in, too. Adventurer, he. “Achieved “mode parity” today, with my route by foot (run, not walk), bike, transit, and car all taking less than 30 min total; I could probably get them almost equal with a bit more effort.” Josh and I saw him the other day for lunch, and Byron is looking quite svelte these days. Whatever level of effort he is putting out, it is paying off.
Atlanta’s a.m. weather was amazing: high 60s and slightly humid, but not enough to chill you. I started down the block, with a double-take at the crossfit studio’s too-thin doorman.
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Then across Ponce de Leon Avenue, wonderfully quiet for a Friday (perhaps everyone was running to work instead), and through the Murder Kroger parking lot. There is an angular cut-through behind Murder Kroger, designed to accommodate unloading trucks, but which most everyone uses as a regular route. Several trucks blocked the path, leaving cars to wait. I was able to squeeze through, no problems, and continue.
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After work, I changed gear and hustled to Candler Park to watch Laura play tennis. I stopped en route at Sevananda, the co-op grocery store (which stood in as the Piggly Wiggly in Driving Miss Daisy), for a cookie. Who do you think I encountered there? Josh, of all people, and his family, though they live several miles away. You run through a small world when you run to work.
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I ended up run commuting last Wednesday and Friday, and then again yesterday. I’ll probably do it again tomorrow. If I can pry myself away from the soccer field on Sundays I’ll start adding up some serious miles.
Your one-way is 5.5 miles, right? You will be piling the distance on like a beast! Nice, Hall. The soccer will help break the monotony. Where in town do you play soccer?
It’s actually right around 6 miles each way, and yeah the miles really do add up quick.
There are regular pickup soccer games at Candler Park, Bessie Branham Park in Kirkwood, and sometimes Walker Park on Memorial and every once in a while Iverson Park. It really just depends on the weather. Saturday mornings at 9 we’re usually at Candler and Sunday afternoons at 3:30 we’re usually at Bessie Branham. The level of play is pretty good.
Josh lives a block from Bessie Branham!
Thanks to your blog I decided to do run-commute last Friday. I even bought a pack (Salomon Minim 20) for it. My boyfriend did it too. He run 4 miles (one way) and I did the 6-mile round trip. It was great to read people’s post on the Facebook page. I will definitely be incorporating more runs into my commuting routine!