With the 2014 brevets completed, I turned to running.

After the 600K, my quads complained. It was as if cement had been deposited into them. My hips and rear were extremely tight and my shoulders slumped from all the time on the bike. My back craved a more upright position.

The run commute has been a great way to transport myself to the office while also giving opportunity for a satisfying stretch of the legs and body. My legs have not had much pop in them the last couple of weeks, but I’ve been running leisurely to work as well as during lunch.

I’ve found the running has countered some of the stiffness and aches brought on by the long days in the saddle. Instead of the circular pumping of my legs, I push back and stride forward.

The run commute is also slightly easier than bike commuting. No managing the bike around cars and crosswalks. It’s me and my Osprey pack. Nice and simple.

Morning run commutes are the most refreshing. It’s almost entirely runners and office workers about. Swarms of tourists have yet to converge on the National Mall. I can’t say it’s my space, but I feel like I have space. This is a stark contrast to the lunchtime or even post-work runs, where the mantra “flow like water” is ever-present in my mind.

Given the summer plans Felkerino and I have, I need to return to bike training mode soon, but I sure have enjoyed these no-pressure run commute days.