Commuting

I had a few chores to do in the area today, and after dropping my car off for a service, was walking to the bus station when I saw a runner with a familiar style approaching me.  It was Terrigal Trotters club-mate, Kev, on his way to work.  Coincidentally, last night when I was driving into the Thursday evening track session, I saw him running home from work.



Melbourne's Tan Track

If you can manage it, this is the best way for someone with a full-time job and other commitments, to fit in their training.  Of course, you generally need to have a shower at work, although one of my more notorious former club-mates, another Kev, was famous for running to work and then just applying talcum powder to selected spots, before putting on his working clothes.  He was in sales!

You also generally need to live close enough to run both ways, although some other former club-mates ran part of the way and then caught a train for the rest, often climbing into packed commuter carriages sweating profusely in their running gear.

Some of my favourite running memories are of running to and from work when I was a serious athlete.  Whilst living in London in the mid-1970s, I frequently ran to or from work (and occasionally both ways), a distance of about 10 miles.  My route took me from south-east London through Brixton, which in those days was a bit of a ghetto, then across the Thames past Victoria Station and the back of Buckingham Palace before a last glorious section through Hyde Park to my workplace near Bond Street.  Forty years later, I still have vivid memories of that regular run.



Melbourne's Yarra Bike Path

Later, I ran to and from work for many years in Melbourne, and was lucky enough to have regular routes that followed the Yarra River, crossed inner-city parklands, circumnavigated the famous Tan track, and passed by the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.  I well remember bounding past and through queues of jammed commuting cars, getting the occasional wave or toot from someone I knew (most memorably a few times from my hero, Ron Clarke).  For a number of those years I frequently met up with another club-mate, Geoff, for part of the journey home and I know we still both savour the memory of those days.  We were in our athletic prime, and used to "fly" home along the Yarra bike track on balmy evenings, finished with the day's work, discussing running, world affairs and our plans for the weekend.  It was a great way to fit training into our busy lives.  (Incidentally, Geoff nearly missed the birth of his only child when he forgot the time and how far it was back to the hospital on the critical evening.)

Training-wise, out of necessity, I did more walking today than for the past few.  My right arch is sensitive, but I wouldn't call it painful.  Still a few more quiet days to go before I resume any running.  It's very frustrating.