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Travel
Fit
Fit
Airports
Ah, the joys of winter
travel! I spent 15 hours and five flight
segments getting from Raleigh to snowy State College,
PA and back again last week. As you might have guessed,
much of it was spent waiting. And waiting. And waiting some
more.
I did manage to finish
my holiday cards during the trip up, but
15 hours in airports and airplanes really makes you feel like
a slug! If only I had planned ahead, I could have used my
wait time more wisely and gotten in a workout in between
flights.
Workout? At
the airport? Yes! With a little research and planning,
there are many opportunities to grab a quick workout in between
flights. More and more airports and airport hotels are offering
fitness facilities and making them easily accessible
to folks for use during long layovers.
McCarran International
Airport in Las Vegas, NV is the leader in this area
with an on-site 24 Hour Fitness gym. As Debbie
Miller at the McCarran PR department told me, the gym was
originally envisioned as a perk for employees of the airport,
aviation department, and airlines, but quickly became a favorite
spot for regular travelers like you and me.
The state-of-the-art
facility offers treadmills, elliptical cross-trainers,
stair climbers, and Lifecycle bikes,
as well as a full line of Cybex, Body Master,
Life Strength, and Icarian weight training equipment. 24 Hour
Fitness does it up right with a variety of classes, full
locker rooms, steam rooms, and dry sauna, as well
as energy snacks if you need to grab some
quick food.
Sounds great, but you're
wondering about travel-specific logistics,
right? No problem! 24 Hour Fitness has thought of everything,
including lockers for stowing your luggage,
computer terminals for checking flights,
and a fitness package that includes shorts,
shirt, socks, towel, and a one-time athletic shoe rental.
Las Vegas
Airport / 24 Hour Fitness Specs
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14,000 sq feet |
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Located
on second level, main concourse |
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Club
opens Mondays at 5:00 am and stays opened 24 hours until
11:00 pm Friday night |
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Open
Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 am - 9:00 pm |
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Workout
Pack ($15)-For those with their own gear, this package
includes complete use of all facilities and a souvenir
24 Hour Fitness towel. |
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Complete
Pack ($25)-The "complete pack" comes in handy
for travelers and local residents that want to work out,
but don't have the appropriate gear with them. This package
includes workout shorts, shirt, socks, towel, a one-time
athletic shoe rental and complete use of the club. |
Leaving Las Vegas...
Haven't been to Las
Vegas lately? Not to worry. There are a surprising number
of workout options at other airports, mostly
associated with an airport hotel or nearby gym. When planning
your trip, check out www.airportgyms.com.
This handy web site lets you search by state to see workout
options within a short distance of the local airport. The
site is maintained by travelers, so if you
find a new gym, be sure to contribute this information to
the site.
When all else fails,
there's always walking! The average woman
burns 90 calories while walking at a 2 mile per hour
pace for 30 minutes, or 156 calories at a
4 mile per hour pace, so put on your walking shoes,
stash your luggage in a locker, and hit the terminal
walkways.
Travel Fit
Tips
When flying, wear comfortable
clothes that can double as workout gear. If you're not wearing
your sneakers, pack them in your carry-on.
Plan ahead by checking
www.airportgyms.com for workout options.
Don't be intimidated
by your fellow business travelers who look at you
like you're crazy when you say you are going to the gym in
between flights. Remember, you're the one staying fit and
healthy!
News and
Links
OAG's Top 10 Healthiest
Airports - Looking for healthy eating options at the airport?
Read OAG's suggestions. www.oag.com
Calories Per Hour
- This awesome calorie burning calculator factors in
sex, age, height, and weight to give you an accurate
reading of the calories burned doing everything from walking
to applying make up (nine calories in five minutes),
as well as a rather humorous comparison of the selected activity
to eating a onion rings, a Big Mac, or an apple. |
Karen
is the owner and founder of Healthy Travel Network, the only company focused
exclusively on helping business travelers stay fit. Free membership in
Healthy Travel Network provides great benefits including a free monthly
newsletter packed with Travel Fit Tips, access to our Fit Hotels directory,
and members-only product discounts.
www.healthytravelnetwork.com