Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Lunchtime Running

Last week I ran on my lunch break and it’s my new favorite thing. I can’t believe I didn’t start this sooner!

Usually I take a break around 12:30/1pm. I go for a walk, call my parents, or maybe run some errands. Then I get back to work and eat at my desk. My break can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour…so why not run in that time?

In an ideal world I would run late afternoon/evening every day, but post-work activities always get in the way, too often forcing me to drag myself out of bed for an early morning workout (uggghhhh ick), or skip my run altogether. (Read my When To Run for more info.) 

Lunchtime running, however, allows me to achieve the perfect balance! I get to sleep in, read the paper, and eat breakfast at home. My evenings are free to go see movies, hang out with friends, go out to dinner, see my refugees, etc. And if I’m only running 5 miles, that’s just 40 minutes, a totally reasonable amount of break time.


Again, how have I not been doing this all along? It’s like time has expanded allowing me to fit even more craziness into my already insanely busy schedule!

My office is near the Mall, but recently I’ve been doing the treadmill thing. (No, Hell has not frozen over…) One of my co-workers is getting into running, so we do this together. She can run/walk on the treadmill next to me while I run for 40 minutes - it’s a win-win, we chat the time away and keep each other motivated. It gives a whole new twist on the working lunch! (Ba-dum-bum-crash!) (Sorry.)

 
Like so many DC office buildings, we have a small workout room in our basement, plus a locker room. So far I’ve pioneered the dirty afternoon look…aka I just kinda wipe myself off, slap on some deodorant, and call it a day. But I could shower if I wanted to.

And, if you need another reason to run at lunchtime, it makes the day feel so much better! I’m not as late-afternoon-antsy at my desk, I walk fewer “laps” around the office, and I can concentrate better. All things good!


Do other people do this? Am I just late to the lunch-running-party?