bwagy, the blog of Ben Young

Readers know I love a good foreign run. Where you’re in a new town, and you take an early morning lap around town, or up to that sight and get a feel for the place. Not only does it help shake the jet lag, you get a feel for the place, and start the day off on the right foot.

If you like to keep active, travelling can make it tough. Even at hotels, no two hotel gyms are the same, and barely any are equipped well. All your at home routines are out the window.

Here’s some things I’ve found worked for me:

• Pre and post flight. My goal at the gym Is to feel limber. That is do regular work out, but emphasise the stretches, don’t overdo anything to introduce muscle fatigue, just to leave the gym feeling limber.
• Any length of work out is an acceptable one. Sometimes I get in for 8 minutes, in-between room check in, and I have to go at half past, just getting in is acceptable. Same with the run, sometimes you’re more fatigued than you realized, it’s ok if it’s just 2km. That’s 2km more than not doing anything.
• An empty or bare gym, with all the wrong equipment, is an exercise in creativity. Treat it as a challenge, to craft or create the best workout you can in there. Do what you can, invent want you can. You can also do marsoc anywhere (which I did a bit during covid). I take bands with me now, exercise bands with handles. With these, you can put together a good work out in any conditions. My default is actually bands, outside, that I can do anywhere. Or if with the family, whilst the kids play at a playground. And if stuck, you can do inside in your room.
• Finding outdoor gyms is a fun one, sometimes that would be the run destination.
• When you do get the perfect gym set up, capitalise! Put in some extra time, go twice, or push a bit harder.
• When with family, anytime is a good time to go. Morning is better, but really, finding an ebb in the day, where it’s least disruptive, makes you more inclined to go. And if you have kids, involve them (if they want).
• If for work, sometimes you can make this part of your trip agenda. An early morning run & coffee or breakfast with a friend/colleague works well.

As a habit, I do log my exercises, but also note any abnormal conditions (i.e. where, or if something hurts). I think this is just good practice regardless. And keep a list of things to do when you get home when you get back to your regular schedule.

As good as other forms of entertainment get, nothing beats sliding into a good book.

(My eldest has just hit this age where she gets engrossed in a good book. Bliss.)

In many things, you just have to beat the average.

And averages are easy to beat, because they include everyone, including those that don’t care, are not even trying.

Just trying to be good at something, can put you above the average.

Committing extra time to learn, improve, study the best. Above average.