Did my first run commute after work this week, going home from the train station which was just over 5km. Throughout my jacket and shirt were riding up my back and I kept pulling them down.
Later in the evening I realised I had really bad chaffing on my lower back on each side, I guess around my love handles.
The straps were pretty much as tight as they could go//I felt comfortable.
Oh and that backpack was bursting at the seems with my work closes, shoes, laptop, notepad, etc. Definitely couldn’t go any smaller, and maybe need a tiny bit bigger as I struggled to do up the zip. I probably need to look into the logistics of leaving some stuff at work, but that’s a bit of a challenge when hybrid & hotdesking.
I used to run/cycle commute a lot in the past. I have one of these
Its very well put together and has had years of use and still looks brand new. Has a pocket for laptop, big main pocket and smaller front one with little dividers and things. Has a fluorescent water proof cover as well.
Important thing I think is to get one with a chest strap as that stops the movement which causes the chaffing.
I used to leave shoes and a wash bag at work, then just bring daily clothes in.
I used to run in once or twice a week, but that was 20km, would take a full set of clothes on the non run days, and the laptop lived in the office unless I was going to be working from home (could VPN in using my own laptop if needed).
When cycling I used panniers.
At minimum I would suggest keeping a pair of shoes and trousers and a wash kit at work, and if you can leave the laptop.
I also found that tucking my base layer or tshirt into my shorts helped stop it riding up my back.
Running with a laptop is a nightmare.
Especially the new Macs, which weigh a metric tonne. I’d much prefer a thin client and have everything VDI. But, that’s by the by …
Echo what everyone else has said.
Clothes and wash bag at work.
Just take in duds and socks.
Do you have lockers?
Or a drying room?
Can’t help about the laptop
My running backpack is 13 years old and 9l.
Fits in what I need and that’s it.
But it’s brilliant.
The key features like @fruit_thief being the double harness, chest and waist, this one also has the extra zip which changes the size of the pack to guarantee that you don’t have any unnecessary jiggling.
Cheers for the inputs, in hindsight the chest strap could have been tighter.
I can’t believe how uncomfortable it is, not even looking forward to parkrun tomorrow, it’s going to be a real mental effort to attempt the commute again.
With 3 young kids, one in nursery, all too often my plans can change last minute so leaving the laptop at work isn’t an option. The office is over an hour drive away, so popping in just to collect it doesn’t really work if that did happen. I’m only doing the run commute between train station and home (train station to office is a 50m walk).
There are some lockers and will be looking into them, that’ll handle the work shoes. To be honest there is quite a range in dress code, from suits to jeans with white trainers. Anyone know any smartish looking running trainers that’d also go well with more casual work trousers?
It’s tricky with an unreliable routine, I’m just switching from a few days each week to coming in for a whole week or not at all, to try to make things a bit more predictable.
I’d be thinking clean new trainers and running only on dry days to wear them at work, but there is almost always somewhere a pair of office shoes can be left and they’re unlikely to be stolen imo.
Going to have attempt #2 tonight. Same bag, will just ensure straps are as tight as they go. Also will have a very tight Skins base layer on, which hopefully won’t ride up.
Would have run in this morning but the wife went to the gym early and said there was a lot of ice around, she’d seen a couple of people take a tumble in the car park, so she gave me a lift when she got back.
There’s still ice, I’ve not for my run yet 'cos of it, no gritting on any of the roads last night either I think, so even driving you probably did well…
. Really makes you appreciate a burdened run.