Run Report: Minneapolis

I was on the road for work earlier this week at a conference in Minnneapolis. It can be a major challenge to find the time to workout while traveling, especially while exhibiting at a conference, but my favorite way to work up a sweat on the road is to go for a run. I love to explore a new city from the sidewalks, especially early in the morning when traffic is light and the air is cool, and people are just getting a start on their day. I’ve gone for runs while visiting Orlando, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Chicago, Reno, and even Segovia, Spain. So I continued the trend this week in Minneapolis.

running map from the hotel

I grabbed a map from the hotel desk with a 6.5-mile route that took me away from the city and into a residential area and park with a lake. It was small enough to carry and had a map on one side and turn-by-turn directions on the other. I thought this was fantastic until about 10 minutes into my run when I realized the map seemed to have been created by someone who’d never even walked through it before. I really wished I had my compass that I’ve just learned to use for the adventure race next month! Instead I asked another runner (who looked strikingly like Lance Armstrong) for help, and he directed me on what turned out to be a great 6-mile run. It was a perfect distance, there was a good mix of hills and flats, the weather was cooperative, and the scenery was nice. I ran through two parks and many neighborhoods. Though I usually prefer more urban sightseeing runs, this was a nice departure and felt much like running at home in Louisville.

If you decide to run while traveling, I recommend planning a little better than I did and preparing your route in advance. And always take a phone, ID, and some money with you (for safety reasons, but also handy if you get lost on foot and need a taxi!).

The reward at the end of my trek, the “cherry on top” if you will, was this Claes Oldenburg sculpture I spotted:

Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture, Minneapolis