by Michelle Kempton

Public Transit strike sparks surge of run commuting
 
Halifax has 96,000 residents that rely on public transportation on a daily basis.  With the announcement of the transit strike last night, commuters were in a mad dash to get to work this morning.
 
During the last transit strike in 1998 - the city was in a complete gridlock and it was a total nightmare.
 
I had contemplated run commuting a few times over the last year (usually when stuck in traffic on the way to work).  The transit strike gave to give me the push I needed to put the plan into action!
 
Living over 20K from my work, a run commute seemed impossible - but the transit strike has made me reconsider my options.  This morning I drove 15K and parked about kilometer from where traffic starts and ran the rest of the way to work!
 
There are unquestionably a barrage of benefits involved with run commuting from helping reduce carbon emissions to being stress reliever.  Today it took me less than 35 minutes to run to work instead of potentially sitting idle for hours. 
 
Of course running with the extra weight of my work clothes in my backpack did pose a bit of a challenge, but I did feel like a total genius when I got to work and transformed my neck buff into a fashionable business accessory - as a headband, to disguise my disheveled hair!
 
During the transit strike 12 years ago, as an morbidly obese person running or even walking to work wasn’t an option.  Luckily, I don't weight 285lbs anymore - now I'm a healthy active runner and feel fortunate to have options!
 
Michelle Kempton is a running instructor, the co-founder of Heart & Sole Running Club, race director with United by Running and is a proud half-marathoner! www.michellekempton.com