Forums >General Running>Anyone ever run in or around an airport on a long layover?
Title pretty much says it all. Time will be tight this weekend and I'm not sure where I'm going to fit in my long run. I have a 5 1/2 hour layover at the Denver airport tomorrow morning though and no plans.
I could get someone to watch my carryon bag for me while I run, I can throw in a change of workout clothes, plenty of time to get in and out of security, etc., but no place to shower that I can think of. Also, not sure what to do with my stinky workout clothes once I'm done.
Right now I'm leaning toward just bringing some deoderant to put on when I'm done, and a plastic bag to put my workout clothes in. Not sure the people sitting beside me on the flight home will like that option very much though.
Any tips, tricks, or suggestions?
Thanks, Nathan
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
Skip the run. You'll be alright.
Runners run
Queen of 3rd Place
Heh. I have seen people doing this in airports, as in IN the airport. It looked awful, dodging around everyone + their kids + luggage + golf carts. Leaving the airport is going to essentially force you to run on a highway with no sidewalks or shoulder. No thanks.
However, one tip I do have is to bring moist wipes. There are nice big ones that they use in hospitals, two of them will do the trick, plus some powder (Shower to Shower or similar). I ran the Chicago marathon last year, wiped off in the changing tent at the finish line, and hopped on the train to the airport, don't think I was too stinky.
Ex runner
What Mikey said.
That being said, I have used the people movers to walk in airports when it wasn't crowded and late in the evenings. Walk against the flow of the belt almost like a treadmill. It's not a run but it will keep you moving.
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
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an amazing likeness
You can get a heck of a good brisk, long walk through the airport. Or, just a thought....what about taking a shuttle to one of the airport hotel's fitness rooms?
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
Looking around on Google Earth around the Denver airport one possiblity would be running around the long term parking lots. There is one on each side of the airport and you could get in a couple miles just going through the lot. Looks like they even have some sidewalks mixed in.
My flight gets in at 8 that morning so it should be nice and cool out. The roads in and out of the airport look like they have nice wide shoulders, but they also look like they have toll booths for getting in and out of the parking areas without a way around them so the parking lots look like they would be the best alternative if I decide to do it.
The wet wipes are a great idea, I wouldn't have thought of that.
Still not sure if I will do it or not. It's not that I desparately need to get the run in as much as I've got a 5 1/2 hour layover and not sure what the heck I'm going to do to kill time. I thought getting in a run might be better than sitting around the airport bored stiff or having to hang out at one of the charging spots because my phone won't make it that long surfing the internet.
Good Bad & The Monkey
Get up an hour earlier and run before you travel.
Or skip it.
Or run the next day.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
It's not that I desparately need to get the run in as much as I've got a 5 1/2 hour layover and not sure what the heck I'm going to do to kill time.
Take a nap. The world would be a better place if people took more naps...
5 1/2 ... I often take a nice 1 hour walk - But more often I sit at the bar and get blasted
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Taking a nap is probably the best advice yet. The flight LEAVES at 6:15 tomorrow morning so I'll have to get up by 4:45 or so to make it to the airport on time so I will probably be able to swing the nap.
A brisk walk to the far reaches of the airport after breakfast and a nap may be the way to go, I was just trying to think outside the box on getting in a run. I've done similar things when driving where I stopped along the road for a sunset run, then got back in and kept driving after the jog, but I had a towel and no one else had to suffer because I was driving by myself.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Long layovers give ample opportunity for getting engrossed in a book and/or lots of people-watching. I can think of few better places than a major airport for that.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
flatland mountaineer
+1 I am not a good flyer ;-)
Denver is our "home" airport even though it takes us longer to drive to the airport than most places we fly. The economy outside lots would provide several easy miles, go do one side, then walk across the terminal and do the other if you want. I would not run on Pena blvd coming in and out of the airport even with wide shoulders, scary fast traffic. If you are in terminal A the skywalk can provide some exercise. The hotels are a good ways from the terminal (several miles) so not really a good option.
The whole world said I shoulda used red but it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green!!
Support Ethanol, drink the best, burn the rest.
Run for fun? What the hell kind of recreation is that? quote from Back to the Fut III
Skip the run. Not only for stink purposes, but 5 1/2 hours isn't as much as you think it is what with TSA and all that. It'll be a hassle.
Just in general, running IN airports is kind of odd unless you are late for a plane. I know lots of folks who will walk a lot though.
Running around airports outside is pretty hit-and-miss. Lots of (not all) big airports are challenging for pedestrians to get in/out of and challenging to run on airport property. So you are faced with something like "can I take a bus somewhere". Smaller airports can be better for this. DIA is way out in the sticks, I dunno about that one specifically.
(fwiw, I have put in 3-4 miles walking through those terminals on many occasions, but I don't think that's what you are going for. Too bad that the restaurant/bar situation at DIA is kind of bleh. I have no good suggestions, but there's some "stuff")
I've got a fever...
Long layovers give ample opportunity for getting hammered in a bar and/or lots of eating.
Exactly.
On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.