Sunday Runday: How to Run At Lunch

I've been doing my lunch-time running for a while now.  It's an art.  So I figured I'd share with you how I get that done.

My office has no shower, so my "lunchtime" runs actually happen in the late afternoon.  To minimize the time I sit around being sweaty. 

I have a special "running bag" I bring with me, that's full of all my running gear.  This is especially helpful, because it's a place to stash my sweaty running clothes after.

 

My running gear:  Shorts, shirt, sports bra, socks, headband and vibrams.  I really like my vibrams for my lunch runs, partially because I love running in them, but also because they pack so well.  It's so much easier to throw them in a bag.  On the other hand, I've had the experience of having one get tangled up in my clothes and thrown in the wash, so I now also keep a pair of sneakers in my trunk, just in case.  I also bring baby wipes, dry shampoo, deodorant, face wipes, and a brush for after.

When it's time to go for my run, I change in my office.  I think one of the key aspects of running at lunch is keeping your hair up.  I get sweaty when I run, and my hair is a mess.  The higher up it is, the less sweaty it gets.  A tight bun helps keep it in check.

Before:

After:

I download the latest episode of Zombies, Run and I am off.  As I've said before, I really love my lunchtime runs because of the route I get to run.

When I get back to the office, I head to the bathroom to "clean up."  I use the baby wipes on my body, the face wipes on my face, and the dry shampoo on my hair.  I brush out my hair, throw on deodorant, and I'm dressed and ready to get back to work.

 

The last part of my routine is my recovery drink!  I bring some protein powder in a water bottle and then fill it up with water once I get back from my run.  I drink that once I sit down to help refuel for the rest of the afternoon.

Do you run at lunch?  If so, what do you love about it?  And are you lucky enough to have a shower?