Running with a bag: encumbrance, materiality and rhythm

Advancing social and cultural geography’s interest in sport, exercise commuting, as well the everyday experiences of movement, materiality, rhythm, this paper provides first account run-commuting through a focus on running with bag. Run-commuting is an emerging active travel practice which people run to and/or from work. It blurs usual separation mobilities related work those leisure. In doing so, new body-objects assemblages are introduced into commuting practices that have marked impacts mobility. Drawing interviews run-alongs 19 UK run-commuters, explores one such defining experience – together concepts affective materialities rhythm discusses how bag by disruptive rhythms, managing rhythms acclimatising rhythms. As such, demonstrates centrality objects facilitating constraining practices, shaping mobility exercise. The novel engagement material bodily also offers fruitful avenues for future mobile, sporting, rhythmic thinking geography.