Good morning from cool but beautiful San Francisco!
This morning I woke up 45 minutes later than planned, at 4:45, not knock out my long run.
I am proof that business travel doesn’t have to ruin your workout schedule!
Running in a new city, especially completing a long run, does take some extra planning. Before flying out to San Francisco, I referenced Google Maps and Twitter to find a perfect running route. I knew that I needed something relatively flat and that I wanted to see the San Francisco sights.
Luckily, multiple Twitter followers responded with suggested routes and tidbits of information.
In addition to figuring out a route, I also packed a few items that normally wouldn’t make it into my suitcase.
- Camelbak
- Luna Bar to eat pre-run
- A Gu packet
- Garmin AND Garmin charger
- Multiple layers since the weather is cool in San Francisco
- Pepper Spray and a whistle for safety
By 5am, I was out the door and ready for a slow and steady run. My goal was to keep my pace around a 10:30 today since I knew that 6 hours of travel yesterday and the time change had taken a toll on my body. I also decided early on to focus on the sights and sounds around me and actually ran without music for the first half of the run!
I captured some of the views so you could enjoy the sights of San Francisco’s Embarcadero and Ferry district. I only wish you could smell the fresh Sourdough Bread!
Oh wait, who’s that you ask? Well, the beauty of Twitter and the blog world is that Katherine and I figured out that we’re both out in San Francisco for work this week! Even though we only live a few blocks apart in NYC, we’d never met. It was the perfect way to get to know someone, power through the last few miles, and enjoy the sights. She joined me for the last 3-4 miles which really helped as my legs were growing tired after the hills around mile 6-7.
My final time today was 2:06 which came to a 10:24 pace. While it isn’t quite as fast as I’m hoping to get, it’s definitely a pace I’m proud of considering that I spent 6 hours on a plane yesterday, didn’t have the best pre long run dinner last night, and only slept a few hours! In addition, it was a great way to see San Francisco!
Question: What city do you dream of touring on foot? I really want to tour Italy via bike someday but I’d love to run through Paris in the Spring!
