Should I gym, run to work or get a treadmill?

[Mysteriousgirl2]

I’m trying to work out how to get back into the habit of running.

My work is 4.5 miles away and I’d love to do a run to work commute. But it’s down country lanes, and in the dark won’t be great (I’ll need to be leaving the house at 7:00 in the morning and leaving work at roughly 4:00) Also, there’s no public transport so I can’t do one way there and bus home. Also, I can’t leave my car at work as once I get home I will then need it to get the children.

Should I just get a treadmill and do it before I go? The only place I can put it is in our garage and there’s a lot of builder’s dust in there which I’m not sure would be good for it.

I could go to the gym, but it’s 15 mins drive in the opposite direction to work.

Do any runners out there have any brilliant ideas/experience?

Could you bike to work and back and run at the weekends or once home? Loads of runners add aerobic volume through biking.

Could you take your running stuff with you and run at lunchtime?

Bike there, run back. The next day run there and bike back.

Until winter when it’s too dark. Then either drive there and run on your lunch break, or just run at weekends and do something else in the week.

Personally I'd clean out the garage and get a treadmill. I love mine. Can run anytime, any weather. Safer to run listening to music than out on the streets. Can pop inside to the toilet. I even watch shows on there (walking) instead of sitting on my arse eating snacks.

I think the mistake is thinking you need one plan that works all year - that can end up being the excuse you need to do nothing!

I run in the mornings in summer, when I tend to wake earlier because of the daylight and in winter, a mixture of gym, running at weekends and with a group in the evenings.

Run round the lanes near home before you go to work. Or round the lanes near home in the evening.

Or run around the lanes near work at lunchtime.

Always wear hiviz anyway. Use a head torch with a rear light in the dark/winter.

Do parkrun/meet up with friends for a social run at the weekend.

Join a gym and do some weight lifting there to complement your running.

You don't have to only run as a commute outside. You can just run outside any other time too.

If your kids are in wraparound care, the bit between work ending and after school club finishing can be prime running time.

Or as PP say, cycle to work and back. All the aerobic benefits and it'll be quicker.

I run before work 2x a week - run 7-8, then either super quick shower and drive to work (25 mins), or WFH. But I don't have a school run to do.
Nothing would ever persuade me to run on a treadmill though. Can't stand them. I will happily run in ALL weathers. Bad ice is the only thing that stops me, and in reality that's only a few times a year.

I live in a small village, but do have pavements for the winter (leading to a shared use path), and I save the pavement-less roads for when it's light. But again, there's not actually many weeks in the year when it's properly dark at 7am. Headtorch and hi-viz helps.

I got a high quality treadmill at the beginning of lockdown and I love it. I still run outside when convenient and go to the gym, but it means when things are super busy, or it's boiling or freezing outside, I have the option to just jump on and get a workout in without any pre-planning or fuss. I'm also finding it's much gentler on my knees than running outside.

Is there a footpath alternative to running on the roads? I live on a single track road with no pavements but only have to be on it for a 100m or so in either direction before I hit a footpath or bridleway.

I'd cycle to work, it's pretty much the perfect distance to get in some cardio and time efficient.

I wish I had the guts to cycle to work but the roads I need to go on are too dangerous.

It’s a combination of dark country lands and busy A roads. There are overgrown grassy pavements on the A roads great for running but not for cycling. I’ve cycled a part of the route before but I felt too vulnerable with all the lorries. When I’m running I find it easier to get out of the way of traffic quickly.