Waking up each morning and getting ready for work can be a challenge for many people. So, the thought of ditching your car keys, lacing up your running shoes, and running to work each morning can seem ludicrous.
But it’s not. As someone who has been regularly run commuting for nearly a year, I can say that I feel healthier, happier, and more energized than I have ever before in my life. In addition to letting you get a breath of fresh air, run commuting has a number of benefits. If you need further convincing, here are some key reasons you should consider picking up this incredibly beneficial practice. Run commuting to work each morning:
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1. … Provides the Benefits of Daily Exercise
Let’s start with the obvious: Run commuting gives you all the health benefits of daily exercise. This includes helping you control weight, as well as improving your cardiovascular health, which can prevent serious problems such as stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and arthritis. It can really counteract the negative effects of a typical desk job. For those looking to take their fitness and overall health to the next level, run commuting can be a great way to do so.
Furthermore, exercising before work is known to improve your ability to go to sleep at night, boost your energy levels, and improve your mood, which will doubtlessly make you a more productive and successful employee when you get to the office.
2. … Is a More Efficient Use of Your Time
If you spend just thirty minutes at the gym each morning, and travelling to and from the gym costs only another five minutes, you will regularly spend about 40 minutes each morning on this routine. Most runners can easily travel approximately 8 to 10 miles in that time. If you are already getting daily exercise at the gym each morning, reconsider your exercise routine; that time might be better spent heading to work.
Exercising outside is also more efficient than running on a treadmill. When travelling at the same pace, you burn more calories when running outside, due to wind resistance and terrain changes. You can expect to burn between 5 to 10 percent more calories by running outside versus spending the same amount of time on a treadmill.
3. … Reduces the Cost of Transportation
If the physical benefits of run commuting haven’t already convinced you to change your morning routine, consider this: Driving to and from work takes up around 6 to 9 percent of your total income. That percentage only rises if you keep in mind the many, many ways you can botch the process of financing a car. This hassle can be avoided entirely by changing your morning routine.
If your workplace is within a reasonable running distance from your home, you reduce this cost to practically nothing. Some minor investments include running shoes, athletic clothes, a backpack (for work clothes and shoes), and supplements. It’s easy to see that, in the long haul, run commuting is the wiser financial choice.
4. … Strengthens Relationships
According to Psychology Today, couples who exercise together tend to “feel more satisfied with their relationships and more in love with their partner.” Sharing fitness goals, such as preparing for a marathon or losing weight, will strengthen your bond. Another factor that improves relationships is the fact that humans have big, dumb brains; we have the tendency to confuse the symptoms of exercising (shortness of breath, increased pulse, sweat) with those of romantic attraction. This can make you appear to be more attractive to your romantic partner.
On the other hand, if your workplace is too far away to reasonably run commute, you may want to consider switching jobs or moving to protect your relationship. A long commute not only prevents you from enjoying the many benefits of this form of regular exercise, it can also negatively impact your relationship. In fact, a long commute to work (45+ minutes) for either partner increases the chances that a marriage will end in divorce.
5. … Reduces Your Impact on the Environment
One type of footprint that no one is interested in leaving behind is a high carbon footprint. Regularly driving 10 miles in a midsize car to and from the office each work day results in the release of 5.2 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This accounts for about 25 percent of your total annual carbon footprint.
As “ecopreneurs” and businesses seek sustainable business practices, we as individuals must also find ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Run commuting can help you do your part. Not only does it keep you fit, it can help the planet as well.
These are a few of the many ways that run commuting can benefit your life. It is an efficient way to get the regular exercise you need, it reduces the financial and environmental cost of transportation, and it can even improve your relationships. So what are you waiting for?
Are you convinced to give run commuting a shot? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
