Today's Look Ma No Car!

[The Piglit]

I haven't used a car in years, living on the right side Sheffield it's easy to run or walk out the front door and onto the moors then catch the bus or sometimes train back from wherever.
Not necessarily a cheap option if you count the cost of tea and cake in with the fares.
Destinations/end points a bit limited too.

[Hes]

Only just picked up this thread. I nearly always run straight from home and only use the car/motorbike/bicycle to get to races or running club once a week. I am lucky to live in the sticks and see this as an advantage as opposed to the disadvantage suggested in your post. It makes running on quiet country roads, off-road and on fells accessible without using any other transport. Before I got my driving licence or had my 125cc motorbike, I used to cycle to all races and running club (32 mile round trip). That was pretty gruelling though and my running has improved dramatically now I am not either exhausted during training or too worried about the cycle home to push myself. My car is shared with some friends and I have it for one week in every two. I would encourage anyone to share lifts and transport but I think many of us do and as a self-employed artist with a studio at home, i am very fortunate that my lifestyle does allow me to be greener than most. I like your idea of taking public transport to places in order to run. It makes me want to get on one of our local rural buses and get off somewhere nice in order to run home again.

Sad that this thread has had not one response, I was going to let it die a quiet death. However, the controversy regarding the dangers of driving after long events currently raging has suddenly made it topical, so this is a re-launch.

I thought it would be interesting if people noted training they have achieved without using a car. I am not implying that everyone should give up driving, but I'm sure lots of running does take place either directly from home or via public transport. I personally would value input on how people do this - tips, snags and advantages. A recent discussion about leaving food and clothing at the foot of a hill - and finding it gone - would fit in nicely. I am interested in the ratio between travelling and running time - whether the travelling is by car or other means. Travelling to run by public transport is perforce often a bit long, but then time on bus or train is not dead time - eating, sleeping, reading, adjusting ones' clothing can be done, and muddy shoes are welcome.

I don't want to be pious about this. I realise that many live in the sticks and have virtually no public transport. Also the fares younger people have to pay make my hair stand on end. But as a retired bus passholder living within walking distance of rail and bus stations, if I can't run and walk car-free no-one can. Surely there are other runners out there who aspire to leave the car at home, sometimes?

[EarthSongWoman]

Hi
I do live in the sticks (in North Wales) and do nearly all my running straight out the door. I consider myself very lucky in this though. Its mainly tracks and footpaths, not the main mountains and hills which I do usually need to get in the car for, but I train there less. I too like the idea of busing out to somewhere and running back - I do love the feeling of one way runs like this too - it always amazes me how far I can get on foot.

[TheReverand]

I am also a believer! I dont own a car but have been able to drive for 15 year, I get the train to work, run or bike home, or go training from the front door, why would anyone do anything else?

[matthew]

Yesterday I caught 3 buses to get from North Shields to Rothbury (2+ hours). I then ran across Simonside and Tosson Hill and into the plantation woods. My ITB decided to play up and I had to walk for 4hours (spending 2.5 lost in the woods) to get back to Rothbury. 2.5hours of bus ride home and a hot bath and started rehab excercies today.
To make matters worse my new Petzl RXP arrived today and now I can't go out night running when I go camping in the Peak over the weekend. Gutted.

[Alexandra]

Yesterday I caught 3 buses to get from North Shields to Rothbury (2+ hours). I then ran across Simonside and Tosson Hill and into the plantation woods. My ITB decided to play up and I had to walk for 4hours (spending 2.5 lost in the woods) to get back to Rothbury. 2.5hours of bus ride home and a hot bath and started rehab excercies today.
To make matters worse my new Petzl RXP arrived today and now I can't go out night running when I go camping in the Peak over the weekend. Gutted.

Lots of sympathy - sounds like the story of my life, except my public transport forays are not quite so heroic, and my ITB is about the only part of me that DOES work properly at present (but watch this space!). I am at present agonising as to which head torch to buy, (see Equipment) so I'd really appreciate a review of the RXP as soon as you are able to evaluate it.

[sphide]

I cycle to work 4 days out of five, 11.5 miles each way. Would love to run it but think its a bit too far to be practical...maybe give it a go one day next summer...

[Mark G]

Only just found this thread, I'm a big fan of leaving the car behind and using a bike or public tranport to get to runs/races. For less than couple of quid this morning I got the bus from Shap to south of Tebay and ran home along the ridge above the north edge of the Borrowdale valley (well not THE Borrowdale but a Borrowdale) to above the A6 and then back home mostly on tracks and paths from there. The trouble is that public transport is usually prohibitively expensive and as soon as more than one of you are going its actually cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper, to pay for the fuel. I just hope that we still have bus passes when I'm 60 and I wish that return tickets worked for the next day or days instead of only on the day of outward travel.

[DaveSwift]

Although i have the use of a car and can drive the 5 miles to work if i choose, i usually either walk, cycle or run. Although i prefer to save the running for the journey home as its a gradual uphill for most of it and its also not nice to be sweaty when i arrive at work. Having to carry extra kit can be a real pain but a rucksack full of wet clothes and shoes weighs plenty enough to make the hills a little tougher and improve my stamina. Having the pennines on my door step gives me endless places to run from home but i do occasionally use the train to get to the club straight from work. Trains are ok and fairly reliable, buses on the other hand have become very expensive and usually full of chavs, so shanks pony usually wins.

[cyclops]

I prefer to leave the car at home and run from my door...saves money and one less car on the road. however, having run from the Grouse above Glossop on Wednesday I will be taking the car just up the road occasionally - nice to have a different area to explore so close to home. my stubbornness to only run from home has been adjusted a little. I don't think public transport will be practical though due to infrequency, and I don't want the stress of having to ensure I'm back at the bus stop for a particular time. also, post run I can't allow myself to get cold from sweaty clothes (me getting chilled is not pleasant) so standing at a bus stop wondering if a bus will ever turn up isn't suited to me. perhaps in the summer I can use bus to take me out and I'll run back.