Earth Day Running Tip 5: Run Away From Home

Happy Earth Day [and Good Friday to all my Christian followers]!

I hope that there isn't any teen age runners following my blog, read the title, and think that I'm giving them sage advice on leaving home. Today's Earth Day's Tip is referencing where you run when you do run. Think about making your home your starting point of your week day run, and run from home.

Many of us check the weather map and start weighing the 50/50 odds of the weather turning south and end up going to the club to run on a treadmill. There are also those of us that have a favorite 10 mile route that is part of the [fill in the missing blank: New York City/Chicago/Twin Cities/Houston/etc.] Marathon. Some of us just enjoy going to a wooded trail that runs next to the lake or river in a nearby town.

I don't want to spoil anyone favorite running haunt, but when possible, run leaving your driveway. If you haven't explored a running trail a mile or two away – run there from home, figure out a circuit, and then bring yourself on that route back home. If you do feel the need to run at a starting point away from home, car pool with a running friend instead of meeting them there. It saves both of you gas money, gives you companionship, and an opportunity to multi-task – catching up on the past week with a friend and a coffee/lunch on the way home. This is also true of any races that you plan – do it with a friend and car pool.

If you are interested in making it fun, take the distance that you plan on running and see if you can't challenge yourself to see if you can get to a certain spot and back. If the weather holds up tomorrow, I am going to try to run from my doorstep to the doorstep of Mall of America and back [approx. 20 miles as the crow flies]. You don't need to try that kind of distance but planning and preparing for any distance can be fun especially if it's not something you've run before. One note of caution for anyone trying this, don't forget to bring a cellphone to call for rescue, planned water stops to refill your reusable water bottle, and a GPS [if you have a smart phone] wouldn't be a bad idea.

Again, Happy Earth Day! Get out there and celebrate it on your favorite running trail!