Commuting as training??

Organization, a "supportive" workplace, and something for the essentials are what you need to pull this off.

Organization: Like many who've commented here I tend to take stuff in by car or bus on Monday morning, and bring it home later in the week. Obviously you need room to store your smalls, and your change of clothes for the week. If you have a week where life means you can't run home one of the days, you need to think even further ahead. On Sunday nights it seems ridiculous to be planning how many underpants you need at work for the week (hint: don't under-estimate ...) but the pay off is worth it.
It really is fantastic to start the work day with the spring in your step from running, and run off any stresses from the day to get home. Running the Wellington Skyline Trail as a commute is better than the #22 bus.
Clothing is probably less of an issue than thinking about meals you have to cart in for the week.
Workplace: Obviously you can only pull this off with the right kind of job. A shower is a must for most of our colleagues, if not for us. And unless you're just going to eat Hamish Carter endorsed One Square Meals all week you need a fridge that will hold food for the week.
I used to look like a dork carrying my phone in a plastic bag on rainy days, but an ultra-running friend told me about the SPI Belt (SPI = Small Personal Items) and it's fantastic. Holds an iPhone sized phone and small wallet. There's a waterproof packet. As others have said you can do quicker stuff and not worry about it really altering your form (or weight).
Very, very occasionally I'll carry in other stuff in a Camelbak backpack, and tell myself it's good ultra training for the every few years ultra trail run I do. But I wouldn't want to do that every day.
All up, commuting on foot is a great way of making sure you get in a run every day. In marathon taper weeks when I'm down to short singles it throws off my weekly routine not to be running to and from, even though I'm likely saving time by running less!

Ok ok ok, I'll come clean. I didn't think anyone would seriously buy the 'same undies for a week' gag. I go jockless while running, and take 5 crisp pressed french cut panties on Monday to last me the week. If I want a curry, I'll just go for it.

"Stef - lay off the Indian and get a few more miles out of your jocks"
I must say this is the only part of your forumla Luke that I didn't completely agree with. I revealed to my wife last night that I usually wear boxers for 2 days, to reduce washing. She was prepared to accept that as within the bounds of health, however I doubt I she would feel the same way if I'd said A WEEK! Even without a lunchtime dhal, given that you're prepared to change your socks daily, would it be so hard to refresh your smalls a little more often? Does Kellie read this forum? Did she know this detail before she accepted your marriage proposal? Full marks for environmental efficiency however.

I used to commute to work and back (12km x 2) at various periods of my training for the Comrades Marathon when living in Durban, South Africa in the 70s and 80s. However, because the route to work and back was mostly flat, I was just coasting and the only thing that made me sweat was the heat - in summer it was already in lower 20s in the morning and upper 20s sometimes lower 30s in afternoon. It made me very sleepy after about lunch time and if I was doing some desk work, it was a struggle to keep the eyes open It helped if I was out on the road or in the exchange installing equipment.
Was this a benefit? My running was not any better than if I just did my normal 12km run before work on the really undulating and hilly circuit around my suburb and did two time trials of 5 miles and 4 miles on Tuesdays and Thursday respectively. I actually ran a more quality 12km if it were an early morning training run instead of a commute and then having to catch the bus to work at 6.45am (work started at 7.30am and ended at 5.00pm). I was more relaxed and able to get some shut eye on the 40 minute bus ride to work. So in my case apart from saving bus fare and being able to get up slightly later there was no advantage.
I think that every case would be different though depending on the course run, work type and hours and not to forget the heat. But for me it was a 50/50 scenario. I also had to contend with tons of exhaust fumes because no matter which route I took, there were plenty of trucks and cars. It was fun though because every now and then I would meet Zulu runners also running to work and we would have a silent race and I was able to show them that skinny white boys could also run.

The logistics for me work really well as I run in and out most days but I also cycle to help transport gear. I do 2 runs in the same gear too and nobody seems to complain that I smell too badly but I usually have a spare top anyway in case I'm extra sweaty! I leave my shoes and suit at work anyway so I can easily take what I need in a back pack and I have a drawer full of stuff I can have for lunch if I need it.

If I'm doing a session at lunch then I typically cycle in which means I can carry fresh gear and I'm also that little bit fresher for the session having not run 4 hours earlier. I have done the odd session with it on but it's quite hard. If you are doing a track session then obviously it's not a problem as you can just ditch it in the middle.
I guess there is some risk that running so much with a back pack changes your style slightly but provided it's a good running back pack (ie waist and chest strap as a minimum) then you should be able to tighten it so that it doesn't move much.
Another positive I see is that it is essentially a form of resistance training as you are carying an extra 1-2kg on most runs so I do run slower. I think I've had maybe 4 or 5 kg but that does slow you down and wouldn't be good long term.
Another "good" thing on the time saving front is that I literally wake up, get my gear on, pack my bag and go. If I wasn't running then I'd waste way more time at home. Shower and breakfast at work, sorted.

Hurring - accusing me of carrying a 'fanny pack',,,guess I'm gonna have to step up to the plate with this discussion. Two points to make:
1. The 'fanny pack' is in fact a waistband designed to fit a 'walkman' - remember those, young fullas? Bought in Boston in '97, still going strong...ish
2. TOTALLY disagree that commuting running has to be lower quality. A tiny waistpack (see 1) containing phone, key and wallet adds no weight and slows no speed. Get the bus in Monday and home Friday is easy way to transport gear. Run fast to and from work on the other days. Works for those lucky enough to work in one venue, with shower there.
Gd luck to all

*you never arrive home, and get that can't be arsed going training feeling, because by the time your home training is done - CROSS: I have to drop off my bag, definitely not leaving it in the bushes in Melbourne!
*it makes good use of otherwise dead time ( crucial when daylight is scarce) - TICK
*its cheap, car parking is a non issue - TICK: no car so much easier living in central Melbourne
*you are deadly productive at work first thing while everyone else is waking up, because you have just done 10miles to Celine Dion - HALF TICK (5miles to Florence and her Machine)
*You wear the same clothes for 2 runs, halves your washing - CROSS: can't do two runs in same gear... prob wouldn't be as bad in winter but in the Melbourne summer it's not an option
*its generally faster than public transport - TICK: Melbourne 8.5km commute and shower is same as train/bus time
*your doubles are spaced perfectly 9hours apart - TICK
*you can know EXACTLY how far away from work you live - TICK: 7.12km
* Batman style utility belt.. - CROSS: what about your lunch??? I need the back pack to transport lunch / 2nd set of running kit to work everyday and to get washing home through week so not so much to do in weekend.

Logistics wise:
* I take big bag of gear (4socks/4undies/towel/wash stuff/big food stuff (boxes of muesli bars and weetbix)/running kit/running pack) and ironed shirts to work on train/bus Monday morning. Bring big bag home on bus on Friday evening
* Run pack to work and back everyday with lunch/phone/keys/change of running gear/washing (8 runs with bag)
* 7k straight to work or up to on extra loops for morning runs, then straight home at night to drop off bag and head to Tan / Albert Park / Burnley for rest of run or workout.

Haha good one Haigh, am starting up one in Sept through the summer and its a flat 5km from mine, maybe just not shower? Meaty.

Stef I think you have to have a job to post on this thread :P Seriously though that Paul Martelletti blog was a great read. Interesting to see all that mileage racked up commuting.

been commuting since about 2007, winter gets hard when it 4 months of dark morning and night. snow days are primo, run with backpack, have locker and great showers at work.

*you never arrive home, and get that can't be arsed going training feeling, because by the time you're home training is done - tick
*it makes good use of otherwise dead time (crucial when daylight is scarce) - tick
*its cheap, car parking is a non issue - farking hilarious how fat heifers try to get a park outside the door instead of 30s walk.
*your doubles are spaced perfectly 9hours apart - tick
*you can run into a couple of tourists on top of Flaggy at 7:30am ..............and you can point almost back to the same spot - tick, actually I point over toward Mosgiel.
*you can know EXACTLY how far away from work you live - 8.7km, 9.4km, 22km, 18.5km, 21km for different options.
* you can TT home on Thursday nights - tick
* people look at you with utter contempt when you smash work shout morning teas, knowing you HAVE earned it - I try and draw the line at 6 pastries
I still suck poos though.

I actually wrote a thesis about this recently, looking at running to work as a form of 'active transport' for sustainability and health. A lot of resources go into promoting cycling to work, why not running? It's a more efficient form of exercise, is safer, requires little or no infrastructure and causes fewer headaches for motorists.

I interviewed 12 people of a range of running backgrounds and abilities, some semi-elite and some recreational. For most the core motivation was to save time. They were committed to training to a certain level and commuting was the best way to fit it in around work and family commitments, and recreation. Other reasons (cost saving, enjoyment, environmental issues) tended to be secondary.

Did a fair bit of this myself while living in London, running the 8 miles from Cuffley to Enfield under the M25. Used to run home, and was always a solid run. Back in NZ, much more preferable to run at Lunchtime... even one time running tip track, perks of working for a SOE..jacko

This is how I first got into running, when living in Island Bay. A work colleague appealed to my Scottish ancestory, and pointed out how much $ he could save on bus fares by running home. I can't remember how long it took me to work out to just leave a pair of work shoes at work instead of lugging them home in a back pack! Anyway, it wasn't just the few dollars in bus fares, it was also turning dead time into fitness time.

Cue last O.E. to London, working well south. They looked at me like I was mad when I started at work and asked if there was a shower anywhere in the building. Why? Do you not shower at home? No, I was thinking about going for the odd run at lunch time. The look I got back, I thought they were going to march me off the premises for being a looney. Obviously not very ingrained in the culture over there. Still, there was a good swimming pool handy and very quiet so that helped supplement the evening and weekend running in Richmond Park.
Back to Wgtn, and had a good time working out in Petone and lunch running with some mates up in Belmont most lunch times. Then working in town itself, was a great set up with showers, drying room, ironing board (so you could just take a shirt in your bag) and plenty of lockers.
Now up in New Plymouth and my commute to work is limited to either cycling a few days a week in Summer and tying in the long run mid-week running home. 22 miles along the quiet back road. I just get dropped off at work in the morning, work through lunch and leave the work threads in the locker and set off. It's great! Even when feeling a bit unmotivated, there's no escaping you've got to work through the run to get home. There's something refreshing about running home, leaving any stress of the day on the road (or trail) and being pretty happy by the time you step in the door. Hopefully with a meal just about ready to sit down to. This summer, looking to knock this out twice a week. Still a looong way to match Marders peak load there!
With a little bit of planning and routine, it very quickly becomes something easy to maintain. And the benefits of turning dead travel time into refreshing training time is a real bonus. Sure, if you've got a light pack on with a bit of gear in it, (eg cell phone, wallet, keys, couple bits of clothing) you might not feel like cutting loose, But they are still miles in the bank. And with a bit of extra planning, there's no reason you can't run unenbered a few times a week as a commute and put a bit of quality effort in.
Re. weather, that's part of the fun of it! Nothing like being 'forced' into a run to or from work in rubbish weather that you might otherwise have turned your nose up at. And a nice feeling of accomplishment when you don't see a single other soul out there braving it.