We find running outside far more enjoyable than running on a treadmill. We have been running in the evenings for about a year now and really enjoy it. A few months ago we decided to go for a run on our lunch break, this is something we had discussed for a while but had never actually got round to going. It’s a great way to fit in some cardio in if you don’t have time to go to the gym that day.
We put some time in our diaries at the beginning of the day, once your run is scheduled in you know you have dedicated that time to run. We get a one hour lunch break so decided to give ourselves 5 minutes to get changed, 30 minutes to run and 25 minutes to cool down, shower and eat lunch.
You could even invite your co-workers along with you so it becomes a social activity which could even lead to a work running club. Running with friends makes time go so much quicker and you will have completed the 3 miles before you know it.
It is so important to get some fresh air at lunch time and you will more than likely return back to your desk in a better mood, less stressed and ready to focus.
We have found it is important to work out a running route before you start the run to ensure you don’t waste time figuring out which way to go. We used map my run, which is really great and easy to use. If the route doesn’t work well for you after trying it out then think of a different route for next time it can be trial and error to begin with. For example running near Waterloo and Westminster (Particularly Southbank and Westminster Bridge) can be tricky at lunch time as it can become very overcrowded.
If you are trying to improve your speed then we would suggest running the same route so you can track how quickly you are running. Of course running the same route may quickly become boring so you could try mapping out a few runs and keeping track of your fastest times on each of these run. This way you will be able to keep track on whether you are maintaining your pace, speeding up or slowing down If you aren’t trying to improve your speed then why not try lots of different routes and get to know the local area a bit better, running is a great way of getting to know your surroundings as you can get to places a lot quicker than walking.
Another tip would be to prepare your lunch for work that day. You don’t want to waste time queuing up for lunch after your run, so make it the night before or buy it on your way into work. If you know you are running at lunch time then make sure you have prepared or purchased food that is going to refuel your body.
Happy Running.
