Keeping up your training and/or exercise while traveling can be a challenge.  Sometimes it’s too expensive to go to a gym, the weather is bad, or it’s hard to stay motivated.  During my recent two-week stay in San Francisco, I would leave the hotel early…usually 6:30am to jog anywhere from five to ten miles, three times a week, before attending class.

My hotel was located in the Union Square area of San Francisco and was about a mile from the Embarcadero…which was the waterfront where the piers were located and it was flat.

There are a lot of homeless people in San Francisco and generally they are rather non-confrontational and quiet.  Occasionally, one of them would say hello to me or vice versa.  A couple of times I would pass one that would be screaming vehemently at a wall or inanimate object.  I feel more connected to San Francisco from these early morning jogs!

The following are photos (not taken while jogging) of places and/or things that I would pass while jogging.

This is a temporary large piece (40 ft.) of art along the Embarcadero, called the “Raygun Gothic Rocketship”.

This is a permanent piece of art, erected in 2003, along the Embarcadero, called “Cupids Span”, inspired by San Francisco’s reputation as the home port of Eros.

One of the famous cable cars…invented in the late 1800′s.  These were designated the first moving national landmarks in the nation during the 1960′s.  We learned all types of information about San Francisco during our class, so be prepared to hear some trivia!

If you’re committed to your exercise plan, it doesn’t matter where you are!

My first half marathon is this Saturday about 1 1/2 hr. away from my house.  I went and bought some goo (a small packet of carbohydrate and electrolyte replacement substance) to swallow for energy half way through.  Wish me luck!!