Acclimate to Your New City With Your Running Routine!

Running is a passion for so many people. Although it is a great way to stay healthy, running can also benefit you tremendously when you’ve moved to a new town. Many people feel completely lost when arriving in their new area.  All of the places of our normal routine are new and different—where to dine, grocery shop, listen to bands, meet people, take the kids, and a million other things overwhelm your mind. Running can solve so many of these circling questions and take the weight off your shoulders of getting adjusted in your new surroundings.

Before you lace up your running shoes, get familiar with and study the area via the internet and cell phone apps. What areas are runner friendly? Where are the parks? Running around your new town can help you feel like a local sooner than you ever imagined. Purchase an armband for your cell phone. When you run past a quirky little coffee bar or a great playground with kids galore, drop a pin on the map or leave a voice message to mark the spot. Take notes on what you see, places to check out later with the family or places that maybe you’d rather not see again!

Remember, sometimes it’s okay to get lost! Stay in the general area that you originally sought out, but don’t be confined to one or two blocks. Technology is wonderful, and as long as your cell phone shows high service then venture out! A great app to utilize is MeetUp. Unlike other social apps, it’s a group app designed to find people with similar interests. Meeting some of the locals along the way will arm you with a plethora of information.  Word of mouth is the best advertisement for places to go and things to do in your new town.

Until you get familiar with the layout and traffic of your new town, it’s probably best to avoid rush hours. Mid-morning and early afternoon running would be the best attempt at avoiding the traffic congestion and alleviate some of the stress of navigating a new area. So, grab your favorite sneakers and plug in your earphones…it’s time to let your feet guide your way!