On the Road

Daily Total: 0; Weekly Total: 35 miles; Per Mile Pace: NA; Days Until Marathon: 17

It can be difficult to travel during marathon training. Unknown territory and distances and differences in weather potentially pose many roadblocks to the enthusiastic marathoner. Conversely, I find running is a unique opportunity for sightseeing and learning the feel of a place. I just returned from a 6-day trip to New Orleans and I didn't run outside once. Although I was in love with the city, average daily temperatures of 80 degrees with humidity and endless street traffic translated to utilizing the hotel fitness center on a daily basis.

I never train indoors. I am not a fan of treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters, etc... There is something so mechanical about the whole thing and I find that I actually feel more soreness after using the machines. Thus, I kept my fitness center visits in the Crescent City to a minimum, covering no more than 4 miles per day.

Had I not been dissuaded from running outdoors due to heat and other circumstances, my hotel carried small placards from Runners World detailing suggested routes for the local area. Another resource for running tourists is http://www.mapmyride.com/ which reveals an abundance of routes by regular users in a given area.