Running and traveling

[Gina O]

Between now and the end of March, I will be in DC twice, Kansas City twice, Des Moines, and Las Vegas... and I want to keep running (well, first I have to start again once my knee heals a little, but I am hoping that will be in a couple days!). DC will be the easiest... I plan to take the train to the mall and run there, but as far as the other places go, I have no idea. I am sure most of the hotels will have a fitness room (although I know for certain the Vegas one does not). So, for all you traveling runners out there, do you have any suggestions related to running in unfamiliar cities? Gina

[Natasha]

First of all, be very careful and project an air of confidence.

Here are a few other things that come to mind; a few were discussed in a fairly recent RW column (John Bingham?):

1. Carry $ with you for a cab ride home/food/water, and a quarter.
2. Take along the name and phone number of where you're staying.
3. Tell someone where you're going and when you should be back.
4. Do an out-and-back route that you've at least seen once or twice (so you know there are no unexpected woody sections, industrial parks etc.).
5. Run with someone if you can. In fact, you can hook up with running groups in the city. This accomplishes many things: safety, learning about good places to run, meeting interesting people, and so on. I believe the safest way to do this is by calling a running store in that city, though you might also consider posting a message on, for example, the Runner's World discussion forums or other sites.
6. Plan your run to be a certain amount of time, rather than covering a certain distance.
7. Slow down and enjoy the local scenery! Running in a different environment can be so much fun.

Have fun! Let us know if you do any beautiful runs that you'd recommend.


[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 01-10-2001).]

[emilycat]

Gina,

First of all, let me say that running in a new locale is my favorite way to get to know the area...you feel so much more a part of the city, rather than just a traveler.
This summer, I had a wonderful time maintaining my running program while I was traveling in Europe for a month.

As for my suggestion, I would be a failure to my favorite resource if I didn't recommend that you visit www.runnersworld.com (http://www.runnersworld.com) -- that's the best link I can give you, as the addresses on RW's site don't change from link to link.
Anyway, Doug Rennie's "On the Road" column --find it by clicking on the Travel link -- should be an incredible resource. I already checked, and he's written a column on all of the places you'll be visiting. Definitely a must-read -- just run them off and slip them in your suitcase with everything else. Good luck! I always think of running on the road as a fun sort of adventure http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Emily



[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 01-10-2001).]

[hhcowgirl]

I did the same thing as Emily--found my way around Europe by running in the various cities where I was staying. I found that the best way to do this was to ask the hotel concierge to recommend a running route. In Bath, England, this led me to the former house of Jane Austen as well as past the Roman. DC is a great city in which to get out and stretch your limbs--I'm sure the hotel staff can show you a great route!

[emilycat]

hhcowgirl,

I am sooo envious! I am such an ardent Austen fan....wow, was it just amazing?

I would so much love to visit Bath and the surrounding countryside...the only place in the UK I've been is London. Did you go while you were studying abroad, or on a separate trip?

Emily

[hhcowgirl]

Hi, Emily. Yes, the Austen stuff was pretty great. It was amazing to see how she really brought the area in which she grew up to life--I felt like I was walking around in Northanger Abby (my fave). I'm sad that you only saw London (not that that is anything to scoff at) just because you can only get a real "feel" for England and all its history and legacy by seeing the less commercialized, more out of the way places. To answer your question, yes, I was studying abroad at the University of Leeds for a semester but I stayed awhile to travel afterwards. We lived in the area where the Bronte sisters grew up (not that pretty really--Bath is much better). If you get to go back, you MUST go to Stratford upon Avon, where Shakespeare is from, it was so, so neat to actually walk around a house from the 1500s!!! (Even if you do have to get behind a million tourists to do it!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Edited to add: You must have been an English major like myself!

[This message has been edited by hhcowgirl (edited 01-11-2001).]