Working Out Away From Home

I've spent a lot of this year on the road, at hotels and traveling for business.  It's not always easy to run when you're away from home.  Ideally, you'd stay in a great area where they have sidewalks and no crime.  However, that just doesn't happen.  When I visited New Orleans earlier this year I'm sad to say I told told by hotel staff that under no circumstances should I go out alone to run.  (A whole group was required.)

So, what do I do to stay healthy and fit when I'm on the road?  The first thing is knowing that some days are just too busy for a workout.  It will happen that I'm on the road for 12 hours, or presenting and working and it's just too much to fit into a day.  When I'm traveling for business, I need to be fresh, sharp and full of energy, so sometimes a workout isn't in my best interest.

Secondly, I always try to see the city so I end up doing a lot of walking around.  I do take public transportation when I need to cover a large distance but I'd prefer to see it all on foot.

I always check out the hotel gym before I leave home.  I try to plan out my workouts in advanced based on their equipment.  I check the hours of operation and any rules they have posted.  I also check if there is a pool where I could swim or classes to attend.

When I can run in a new city I make sure to take my GPS watch so I have a record of my time and distance traveled. Sometimes the hotel desk will give you a map of where to run. It's always a good idea to ask them. Also, tell someone where you are going for safety.

While I always bring workout clothes with me, some hotels have them to rent.  The Westin will bring you New Balance shoes and clothes to use for the day for just $5.

If all else fails, I bring a travel yoga mat and a prerecorded class taught by my usual yoga instructor and I try to carve out a piece of my hotel room to do yoga in.  It's not always perfect, but eating healthy, stain optimistic and really enjoying my travels makes it fun and keeps everything fresh and new.