Walk The Commute 2014

\\ I know you're supposed to crop the photo to just get the logo and your face instead of the entire backdrop, but I liked the whole scene //

Last weekend marked the fourth anniversary of The Commute: the 24 hour, 52 mile walking event from San Jose to San Francisco that Derek organizes every year. I am usually a lot more involved in the event, either as a participant or at least a behind-the-scenes volunteer, but this year that baby distracted me from really doing either one. Instead, Emerson and I met everyone down at the halfway point to cheer on the brave souls that had already walked 26 miles and had another grueling 26 to go.

I'd like to think, much like puppy therapy at colleges during finals, a smiling baby waiting for you at the midway point might make you forget for a second that you have a blister on your foot the size of his giant head.

Huge congrats to the determined walkers that made it all the way this year! I'm always impressed with the fortitude I see on those streets, and love that Derek has helped start this movement. 

re: This Route Was Made For Walking

Lace up your comfy shoes - its happening again this year. We're Walking the Commute! Mark it on your calendar - June 9-10, 2012.

I know you might think that after walking 50 miles in one day last year that we'd be over it, but walking from San Jose to San Francisco in one day is actually a really great challenge, and we want to get even more people involved this year.



I've already started planning my weekly training walks (which thus far mostly involve walking to a delicious bakery somewhere).

I don't know what you're doing on June 9-10, but you should consider walking The Commute. Register by April 2, 2012 with the promotional code Walk50 and receive 25% off your registration.


KIT: The Commute on Facebook | Sign Up for the Commute newsletter

re: Walking the Commute

Normally when you ask me what I did over the weekend, I have multiple things to list off. Last weekend there was really just one thing to list: walking.

That's because last weekend was the first of what will be an annual event, "walking The Commute." The Commute is a 24 hour, 50 mile walk from downtown San Jose to downtown San Francisco. Participants spend one full day walking through and experiencing the communities that they drive past in the rush of their daily commute...which is just so crazy that you know it had to be all Derek's idea.


The whole event was pretty well summarized in the tee-shirt design:



The first question I get when people ask about The Commute is usually "why?" since there isn't the charity aspect to the event that most people associate with organized walks.

Well. Derek gets to (i.e. has to) commute down to Cupertino every day from San Francisco along with what feels like a majority of the Bay Area. At one point he was thinking about that distance that so many people travel daily, and how in the days before cars, living in SF and working in SJ wouldn't have even been an option. He decided that he wanted to walk that distance to get a better sense of the space and surroundings, and after one failed attempt, managed to complete the entire 50 mile stretch in one (very long) day, all by himself. It was such an interesting (and dare I say rewarding?) experience that he decided to organize a formal event and make it possible for anyone else that wanted the challenge of attempting the SJ-SF walk to do so. It is about a different way of exploring familiar space, and pushing your body.

He teamed up with two of his friends, Nick and Kristian, and the three of them organized the event.

The first annual "Walk the Commute" event took place over the weekend, and nineteen hopefuls (including yours truly) donned our comfiest shoes and started out from San Jose on Saturday morning. It was pouring rain. Not the best way to start a 50 mile walk, but surprisingly nobody was deterred.


It was legit. There were fancy signs marking the route:


There were planned pit-stops every few miles with treats (including fresh coconut juice at one!)


The weather turned nice in the afternoon, and we all had a really good time walking together along El Camino. It was so nice that even a baby came and walked part of the route with us.


By 9pm that night I had only made it to San Carlos (around 26 miles in), and my legs weren't cooperating with me when I was telling them to keep moving. I ended up taking the Caltrain of Shame home at that point, but there were nine brave souls that kept pushing and made it all the way to San Francisco by about 6am on Sunday morning, Derek among them.

We drew some festive chalk signage at the end of the walk in Justin Herman Plaza. Everyone crossed the finish line, was a good sport about taking some photos for us ...


and then immediately did this:



The whole experience was pretty awesome. Since I only made it half way this year, looks like I'm going to have to go all the way next year. So, start training now, and come Walk The Commute with me next year!

(if the photo looks fancy, it was probably shot by Zoe Lonergan for The Commute)