When I was a young lad, I regularly saw a neighbour of ours running with a rucksack on his back. I asked my Dad what he was doing, and my Dad told me the runner must be either a soldier out training or a madman. I never questioned that analysis. Now it seems that every second runner I see is sporting a backpack and a sense of purpose. Are they all soldiers or madmen? Of course not. They are part of a growing trend: run commuting.

With lives getting busier and busier, many runners have found that running to or from work is a really efficient way to get in the miles, as well as being far more pleasant than cramming yourself on to a tube, train or bus for the overcrowded and airless commute.

And it might even be quicker. For example, if you were aiming for a sub-4-hour marathon, your target race pace would be nine minutes and nine seconds a mile. This means that at a gentle pace of 10 minutes a mile you can cover almost four miles in half the average time people take to commute in London each day. Do that three times a week, and you will be adding almost a half marathon’s worth of mileage to your base training, while avoiding the tube or the bus, and at the same time saving money – a triple win.

Of course, run-commuting is not for everyone – a common objection is that it can be difficult logistically. But actually, with a very small amount of organisation, there are few problems that can’t be overcome.

• It might be obvious, but if you don’t have a shower at work, don’t run to work. Run home. There are a few hardy souls who run both to and from work, but for most of us a one-way commute is enough. Take your running kit to work in the morning, run home, and then on your rest day take the dirty shirts that have piled up in the office, home to be washed. Or simply roll your shirt up and carry it home in your backpack.

• If you do run to work and there is no shower, there are products you can buy that will allow you to freshen up before you start the day – try the Waterless Hair and Body Wash from Halo – and hope you have tolerant colleagues.

• Commute too long? Just get off the train or bus before your stop and run the rest of the way.

• Some run-commuters struggle with carrying the things they need in a back-pack. A neat solution to that is a service called Home Run that offers run-commuters in London the option of having their bag taken home from the office for them.

• As fellwalker and author Alfred Wainwright is reported to have said: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” This is especially true when run-commuting. For everyday use, merino wool clothing is exceptionally resistant to the nasty pong that can hang around polyester, lycra and spandex kit. A good merino wool top will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter, while emitting hardly any whiff . Check out the Ashmei range or Howies, or the Nike Dri-Fit range is also good.

• There will inevitably be rain, so a waterproof jacket that wicks sweat is an essential item. Other useful kit includes a good backpack – the Salomon Agile 12-litre pack is large enough to carry all your essentials (remember to pack valuables such as your phone into a waterproof stuffsack).

Morning runs before you get to work will ensure you arrive at the office feeling awake, alive and more than a little virtuous. And if you choose to run-commute home, it is an opportunity to clear your mind of all the detritus of the day, ensuring you arrive home relaxed and energised. And ready to put your feet up.

There aren’t many places to get ideas about run-commuting, but for tips and ideas on how to make it enjoyable and practical, inspiration from experienced run-commuters and to offer your own pearls of wisdom, check out theruncommute.com. This new website, backed by ashmei, has been set up to help runners the world over discover the benefits of run commuting or help existing fans to share their thoughts and tips with others. There are also some great tips on a blog called Running To Work.

Alternatively, share your suggestions in the comments below. How have you made run-commuting work? Or was it just too difficult to manage?

Simon Freeman blogs at simonfreeman.co.uk

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