Run commute

Run commuting is one of the most obvious ways to both get your miles in and reduce your footprint. While it can become a little trickier in the depths of winter, all other seasons accommodate run commuting easily. An added bonus? Run commuting is extremely time efficient, so if you’ve got a jam packed schedule, literally running your errands or running to pick up your children from school can shave time and transit off of your day.

RELATED: Stories from the run commute: “My morning run makes me the best teacher I can be.”

Always use reusable water bottles

Runners sweat a lot, therefore, runners drink a lot of water. While staying hydrated is extremely important, it’s also important to have a reusable bottle on hand.

RELATED: Inspirational water bottles

Buy from companies making a push toward sustainable products

Patagonia and Adidas are two companies making a push toward a sustainable future. Initiatives like Patagonia’s Worn Wear program resells used gear in exchange for stores credit, or Adidas Parley program uses trash found in the oceans in their shoes. The plastics are converted into the threading used for the shoe’s upper on top of UltraBoost cushioning.

Donate your running shoes

If your running shoes are in descent condition once you’re ready to move on to another pair, be sure to donate them instead of throwing them out. Lots of running stores, for example, Running Free in Toronto, have donation bins so that you can easily send your well-loved shoes to a new home.

Avoid single-use cups in races

Single-use cups in marathons are a notorious waste. While most races are moving away from this model, with some events even adopting new technologies, do your part to avoid using them even if offered.

The 2018 London Marathon offered Ooho! water packets, which is water in spherical seaweed-based packing that is edible. Ooho!’s mandate, and the London Marathon’s, is to cut down on waste and work to eliminate single-use plastic cups. The Telegraph reports that the marathon brought in around 30,000 liquid capsules to offer on the course.

Joshua Cheptegei made history on Wednesday when he set the 10,000m world record with a 26:11.00 run in Valencia. Cheptegei is arguably the best runner alive, and while he is riding an incredible high right now, it wasn’t long ago that he faced an enormous low after a massive mid-race collapse in 2017. Refusing to let this derail his career, Cheptegei pushed forward, and that is why he made it to where he is today. While you probably won’t ever come close to Cheptegei’s level, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from his career. If you’re facing disappointments or tough times in running, channel your inner Cheptegei and trust that you’ll eventually climb out of this rut.

In front of a home crowd at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda, Cheptegei, then 20 years old, was on his way to the biggest win of his young career. Cheptegei had led for most of the race, and he had a 50-metre lead on Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor in second place. With less than a kilometre to go and the championship within reach, Cheptegei began to unravel, and he was eventually passed, not just by Kamworor, but by the next 28 runners as well. It was one of the biggest implosions in running history, and Cheptegei went from first place to 30th in the blink of an eye.

RELATED: Why Joshua Cheptegei is set to become the GOAT of the running world

Many people would have let this result define them, but not Cheptegei. Later that same year, he ran to a silver medal in the 10,000m at the world championships. In 2018, he won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games, and he ended the year with the 15K world record. The following year, he upped his game once more, first redeeming himself with a win at the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark, then winning 10,000m world championship gold in Doha. His finale for 2019 was another world-record performance, this time in the 10K (although his mark was bettered by Rhonex Kipruto in early 2020).

For a lot of people, music gets them excited and out the door for their runs every day. A steady beat can help you set your pace and let your mind drift as you hammer out your daily miles. A recent study from SportsShoes.com looked at popular running music, and after combing through more than 30,000 songs on 750 Spotify playlists with the words “running,” “jogging” or “treadmill” in the playlist titles, researchers determined runners’ favourite songs, artists and genres. Check out the findings below and see if your favourites made the list. If not, maybe you’ll find a new tune or artist who can help you with your workouts.

Top songs

The top song went to Britney Spears (who, after running a sub-six-second 100m earlier this year, knows a thing or two about running quickly) and “Work Bitch.” Second on the list was “Blinding Lights” by Canadian artist The Weeknd, which researchers note has 171 beats per minute (bpm) – a perfect running cadence. This is tied with Eminem‘s “Lose Yourself” (which is the 10th most popular song) for the fastest beat on the list. The slowest song is also the oldest on the list: “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, coming in at just 109 bpm.

Takeaways?

If you’re happy with your running playlist, don’t worry if you don’t see your favourite songs or artists on these lists. But if you feel like a change would be nice, maybe give these tunes a listen. A more upbeat song like “Lose Yourself” at 171 bpm could really get you moving, and who knows, it might help you set a PB. To read the full study and see more of the top lists, click here.

Canadian Running, a publication of Gripped Inc, is hiring a full-time web writer for runningmagazine.ca.

Applicants must be experienced writers and active runners who are informed about the running scene in Canada. We’re looking for someone who will thrive in our exciting team environment and bring fresh story ideas while meeting deadlines. Applicants will be familiar with web publishing and social media. Applications will include writing samples and a description of running experience.

All applications by email to David Smart, Editorial Director:

dave@gripped.com

Canadian Running, a publication of Gripped Inc., is looking to hire an experienced runner and writer to provide long-form web content.

Applicants must have the proven ability to write long-form print or web content that has garnered a significant audience. They must also be active runners and demonstrate an exceptional knowledge of a range of Canadian running subjects, including the elite, track, road, and trail scenes. We’re looking for a team player with excellent interpersonal skills. Applicants will also be familiar with web publishing and audience creation and management software and practices.