Building Our Steamiest Vehicle Ever
I’ve always had a soft spot for heat. Saunas, spas, hot tubs– if it’s steaming and makes me feel like I’ve stepped into a slice of Scandinavia, I’m there. My love of all things hot water is so strong that when I had my hot tub installed at home, it had to be craned over my house to make it in. Worth it, by the way.
So you can imagine my delight, and surprise, when Andy, Sarah and The Running Channel team turned up at my local parkrun with something rather special: a Sauna Van. Yes, an actual sauna built into the back of a Ford Transit.
Ford, in a feat of wonderfully eccentric engineering, have transformed an everyday van into a mobile spa, complete with wooden benches, soft lighting and that unmistakable sauna aroma of warm timber. It sounds improbable, but stepping inside it felt entirely natural – like ducking into a cabin in the woods, only the woods in question were a leafy London street.
Climbing in after my 5k, I was hit by the soothing scent of pine and gentle, ambient music. The heat built steadily and I could feel the tension ebbing away, muscles loosening, mind settling. It was surreal, sitting in the back of a van parked a few doors down from the café where I usually grab a post-run coffee, yet I was as relaxed as if I’d checked into a spa hotel.
“Yes, an actual sauna built into the back of a Ford Transit.”Rick Kelsey, one of the hosts of The Running Channel podcast
As a runner, I know how valuable that recovery can be. Saunas increase circulation, and for me at least, feel like they help reduce stiffness and ease soreness. Just as importantly, they give the mind a reset too– lowering stress levels and boosting mood, which is something we can all use after a tough training block or a stressful week. For me, a sauna is as much about mental recovery as physical, and this experience reminded me why I keep coming back to the heat.
It was also a reminder of why I love this kind of recovery so much. Running taxes the body, but it’s often the small rituals around it– a stretch, a dip in the hot tub, or in this case a sauna on wheels– that bring the balance back. And while a mobile sauna might not be a permanent fixture at my local parkrun, it was certainly the most memorable cool-down (or is it warm-down?) I’ve ever had.
Rick Kelsey is one of the hosts of The Running Channel podcast
