Technically Running in Shanghai

Back from China this weekend from my work trip. The trip itself was good from a work perspective.While I do have an exciting post lined up about a run in Hong Kong (with pics) the first part of my trip involved 5 days in Shanghai. A massive city of 20 million people which makes Auckland look like a small country town. Really impressive.

The challenge of getting any outside running in Shanghai was:
- working during the day so it would have to be after hours (dark out)
- it was about 4 degrees
- rained constantly

Here is a photo looking across the river at the iconic pearl TV tower. The haze is drizzle not smog, the air was suprisingly clean.



On the other side travelling 3 hours a day in a car and eating/drinking more than usual gave me plenty of motivation to excercise!

The hotel I was in had quite a good gym which was open pretty much all the time. So technically I did go running while in Shanghai ;)

My excercise programme I did was as follows. The meal sizes were on the silly size - breakfasts and lunches with a ridiculous number of dishes. Just as well I did hit the gym to limit the damage - even so have put on weight :(. The food was really quite good though especially the spicy Sichuan style offerings.

Sunday (a bit jet lagged):
30 min run on treadmill, and first time I've ever been on one! : 5:48km (5:28 min/km)
2km on rowing machine (7:51 min)
30 min cycle

Monday:
Went for a swim in the morning.
30 min run on treadmill in evening : 6:83km (4:23 min/km)

Tuesday:
2km on rowing machine (7:50min)
20 min run on treadmill : 4.7km (4:15 min/km).
10 min cross trainer just to try it out.
Some leg excercises in the weights room (press, extensions, curls)

Wednesday:
30 mins on cross trainer - fairly easy effort level
30 min run on treadmill : 6.47km (4:38 min/km)
Some arm excercise in weights room (bench, shoulder, bicep curls, tricep extensions)

Thursday:
25 min run on treadmill : 5.54km (4:31 min/km)
*call of nature*
35 min run on treadmill (tempo) : 8.21km (4:16 min/km)

Friday: Rest and fly out to Hong Kong.

All the treadmill stuff was on a flat gradient.

I can see why people have a love/hate relationship with the treadmill. One one hand you can get a consistent excercise with no traffic lights or walkers, it's less impact on the joints, and it's easier than running outside. On the other hand it is absolutely mind numbing. Bring on the outside stuff.

Speaking of outside the bamboo scaffolding was interesting. Here is a photo from near the hotel. I'm not sure I would want to be walking around on a large number of floors up but thats how it is done overe there.