Do you travel for work? Do you find yourself trying to stay fit in a workout or a run while you’re away? Check out this post to decide if fitness and work travel work for you!
Fitness and Work Travel: Does it Work?
I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to sit still. Which makes me a great candidate for fitness and coaching. But when it comes time to sit and learn during training sessions and seminars, I tend to get a little antsy. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning. It’s one of my favorite things to do. But I like running, too. And when runners get stuck sitting in a chair for 10 hours a day, they get fidgety.
I don’t travel for work often. Maybe once or twice a year. Never more than that. And when I do it’s always for some sort of fitness something or other. Track, running, coaching, healthy foods — something along those lines. There’s usually a lot of sitting and inactivity involved.
My most recent trip was for USATF training. It was two full days of learning. We started early and ended late. And I have an upcoming trip for another track and field training. It will be similar with early mornings and late evenings. And lots of information to absorb throughout each of the sessions.
Fitness and work travel depends on variables
So back to the sitting and learning and getting antsy since that’s what you’re here for. Depending on the situation surrounding the travel, there are some occasions that I can fit in a workout. And other times I cannot. My ability to be active depends on several variables. By weighing the pros and cons of each of these, I try to determine whether fitness and work travel will work for me.
1. The location of the hotel or event.
2. Is there access to a treadmill?
3. The length of the stay.
4. The schedule of the training sessions.
The location of the hotel or event
First and foremost, if the location of the hotel or event isn’t in a great area, or I just don’t feel confident venturing out on my own in unknown territory, I almost always skip a run. It’s a rare occasion that I will go out on my own in a place I’ve never been before.
Is there access to a treadmill?
If there’s a treadmill at the hotel, I most often end up staying inside. And I don’t listen to music on a hotel treadmill which keeps my runs pretty short.
The length of the stay.
The length of the stay is also important. If it’s just an overnight trip, it’s easier to pack lighter and save the workouts for home. A quick, brisk walk to and from the restroom can be rejuvenating to the legs in the middle of a long day.
The schedule of the training sessions.
I’ve been to some events that started at 8:00 am and didn’t end until 10:00 pm with very few breaks in between. Those have been rare, thankfully, but on those days it’s almost impossible to get a workout in. I’d much rather sleep and be well rested enough to learn than to force myself awake at o’dark thirty just to get a quick run in.
There are some events that start early and end early, in which case an afternoon run isn’t such a bad idea for us morning runners. And then there are the events with sessions spread throughout the day which makes a midday workout somewhat ideal. In that situation you get the best of both worlds. You can sleep a normal amount, get a workout in, and learn! That’s a win-win-win in my book.
Advice: plan on a workout — just in case!
My advice? Regardless of any of the above variables and situations, I highly recommend traveling with at least one workout outfit. You never know what may happen. You could meet a group of people you want to get to know better and they just happen to be heading out for a run. Think networking in this situation. Or you could be traveling to a city with your long lost childhood friend from second grade and he/she just so happens to want to get together for an hour to catch up after all these years. You just never know.
For me, I bring one indoor running/workout outfit with me. Usually shorts and a tank with a sweatshirt of some sort to wear down to the hotel gym. I’ve been known to scope out running groups in the city where I’ll be to see if I can make it to a group run while I’m there, but this has yet to happen. I’ll keep trying, though. I love meeting new people and seeing cities on foot!
Hopefully your next trip will be enjoyable and active. And you can use the list to determine whether you’ll have time to fit in a workout — or even want to!
Happy running.
xo
Let’s talk!
Do you work out or run when you travel for work?
Do you prefer exploring new places or stay indoors for ease?
