The Benefits of Running While Traveling
Whether you’re traveling for fun or business, one of the best ways to immerse yourself in local culture is running.
It’s hard to explore a city as a business traveler. Often, you only have a small pocket of time to sightsee and running can be an excellent opportunity to become more culturally agile while checking some things off your bucket list.
Although traveling is joyous and gives us a break from dreary daily routines, it can also be tiring. Many road warriors start feeling its mental and physical consequences before they even realize it.
What with long haul flights and the inevitable stressors of travel arrangements; packing, flight cancelations, and differences in climate, time zones, and inevitable jet lag, it’s easy to get burned out.
Even when doing something you love. But even science says exercise can help.
Exercise Can Help Conquer Jet Lag
As frequent business travelers, jet lag symptoms are the worst side effect of the otherwise thrilling lifestyle.
Jet lag occurs when normal sleeping patterns are disturbed due to long flights and changes in time zones. While it generally improves in a few days, there are ways to reduce its effects until it disappears.
Pre-Travel
Before your trip, get as much rest as you can. This is especially helpful if you’re a traveler who finds it hard to sleep while flying. You can also try going to bed at times closer to the place you’re traveling.
In Flight
As well as avoiding caffeine and staying hydrated with plenty of water, you need to keep moving. Keep active and keep stretching. Even walk around the cabin if you must.
Post-Travel
Being outside is the best way of overcoming jet lag. Natural light helps your body adjust to new time zones, and running is an amazing way to do that.
According to a Sports Health study, jet lag symptoms persist one day for each time zone you’ve crossed until your body realigns its circadian clock. And while traveling in a single time zone won’t give you jet lag, you’ll still experience travel fatigue.
We recommend having an overview of the experiences and spots you’re curious about. That way, you can create a seamless running plan that helps you overcome your jet lag, make your run more enjoyable, and see everything you want to in the process.
The Best Time to Go Running
What if we told you the best times to go running are also some of the best times to explore a city?
The most common running hours are the early morning, late afternoon, and early evening. Although research has shown the best time to go running is determined by circadian rhythms, everyone’s body clock is different and nobody knows better than you.
Urbirun is a great solution for people looking for curated running routes close to local landmarks. Whether you’re a morning person or late afternoon, Urbirun audio guide (or .gpx file for your sportwatch) is a virtual running partner with which to explore a city on your own time.
Made by runners, for runners, it guides you around the city, showing you the best parts, local hotspots, all the while helping you experience the city’s stories. You can run at your own pace, listen to directions and your favorite music, hear local history, and take running tours all at once.
Whether you are with friends in London, on a business trip in Berlin, on a romantic getaway in Paris, on a family trip in Rome, training in Copenhagen, wherever you are, whoever your are, history or architecture lover, fun facts fan, explorer, curious, contemplative, walker, casual runner, or marathoner, you can "urbirun" with your eyes and ears along these running tours.
Whenever you decide to go for your run, focus on your surroundings and enjoy the scenery. Consider sightseeing spots that might not be on your route like a local restaurant you want to try out or a crafty souvenir shop for your family back home.
Checking off all of these while improving your physical fitness, helping your jet lag, staying active, and seeing things you usually wouldn’t will be incredibly useful and time saving. Especially as a business traveler.
The Benefits of Running
The benefits of running are well-documented and there is plenty of research into it.
Unfortunately, it’s way too easy to let your physical fitness take a backseat when traveling. Lack of time and rushed dining can mean you’re not eating right, and if you don’t take the time to stay active, it could affect your health in many ways.
But science speaks volumes.
Researchers have found that running can decrease your risk of an early death. A recent study found that running is associated with a 45% reduced risk of death from heart attacks and strokes and a 30% reduced risk of death from anything.
Exercise also boosts our mood and improves our mental health by reducing the stress and anxiety of travel — or simply being human. A JAMA Psychiatry study saw a 26% decrease in the odds of becoming depressed with each increase in physical activity.
And that’s not even mentioning that running massively improves our memory and thinking skills.
Make the Most Out of Your Trip
We’re not revealing a secret in saying travel is one of the best experiences we have as human beings. On the contrary: it’s what Jack and Ferdi is all about.
But as frequent and passionate travelers, we know its limitations. Travel expands the mind and makes us happy to be alive, but it’s also taxing on our bodies and minds. As business travelers and digital nomads know well, it’s also hard to make time for bleisure.
Running is the perfect way to improve your mood, fight jet lag, and see everything you want to see in a city all at once. However fleeting your trip.