Outdoor Training in Chengdu?

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  • #47987
    Avatar photoKriStinaMz
    Participant

    Hi all,

    I will be moving to Chengdu this September, never been there but really looking forward to going over there.

    My question is: How is it in Chengdu with outdoors training?

    I want to get back into fitness and I like to run outdoors, is it something what is practiced there by many or is not advisable due to pollution? Is there many parks one can go for a run or not? Any information would be much appreciated.

    I will be staying in Hi – Tech Zone.

    Thank you in advance.

    #47991
    Avatar photojohanne-vmte
    Participant

    Hi all, I will be moving to Chengdu this September, never been there but really looking forward to going over there. My question is: How is it in Chengdu with outdoors training? I want to get back into fitness and I like to run outdoors, is it something what is practiced there by many or is not advisable due to pollution? Is there many parks one can go for a run or not?

    Same… I’m in chengdu since August 27 and I really wonder if it’s still possible to workout outdoors and especially where we can do it !

    #47992
    Avatar photoJulius
    Participant

    Depends on a few factors:
    1) Time: early mornings before traffic even starts or late at night when traffic has died down are both good times to train outdoors;

    2) Location: there are running tracks all around Chengdu where you will see people running/walking/exercising during peak times (8-10 AM, 6-8 PM).  There are also a huge amount of parks.  I recently heard that if you go to the very last stop south on the subway #1 blue line there are nice parks that are quite far away from the city, so it is highly conducive for nice runs and/or bikes training.

    3) Day of the week: some days can be polluted, during which you should not do physical activity outdoors (or if you do, buy a mask).  I would recommend downloading an China Air Quality app to monitor the days.  Sometimes it can be clear weather, sometimes not.

     

    #47993
    Avatar photojohanne-vmte
    Participant

    Thank’s a lot for those information Julius

    #47995
    Avatar photoKriStinaMz
    Participant

    Thank you Julius, much appreciated!

    #47997
    Avatar photosquirrel suit
    Participant

    It took me a little while to figure it all out, but after I while I got to the place where I can look out the window and see if it’s going to be painful to go for a run. It’s not fool proof, and I still check with China AQI, but typically if the pm2.5 was < 200, i’ll give it a go.

    Since I live on the edge of town, it’s not hard to get to non-trafficky areas, which helps with the pollution aspect. I’m not stopping at a ton of red lights and getting blasted in the face with exhaust fumes the whole run. After a mile or so I’m uninterupted on long stretches of sidewalk.

    #47998
    Avatar photoKriStinaMz
    Participant

    Thank you for the information.

    #48005
    Avatar photojgshill
    Participant

    If you are looking for parks to run in you might consider living in Longfor Century City.  New buildings with their own private park, walkway around the park is approx 1/3km.   Across the road, Shi Ji Cheng Rd,  there is a big park of about 2.5 km2 with lots of pathways and Chinese versions of exercise stations.    Longfor is a little pricey but worth it.  1/2 mile from Metro Station and there are buses right outside that can take you to Tianfu Square and Tongzilin/Yulin/Wuhou districts.

    #48008
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    The benefits of exercising outweigh the negative effects from pollution, so I would exercise outside according to the advice given above by Julius.

    #48106
    Avatar photoJustintochina
    Participant

    KriStinaMZ & johanne-vmte: I’ve been running 5-6x week in Chengdu for the past 2 years and am still none the worse off far as I know. Just got a routine health check 2 weeks ago and doc says my chest X-ray, Lungs, etc are all looking good w/no tumors, etc far as he can tell. Like Charlie said, exercising in some pollution is worse than the alternative of doing what most foreigners do here–nothing (well, the bar scene is lively I hear…).

    So I can offer you lots of ideas–by far the best place (close to Hi-Tech Zone) is to jump on the subway (or run there) and take it north to the JinCheng Square (锦城广场)metro stop, cross the street (to the west) of the Global Center (环球中心)and enter JinCheng Park (锦城公园). Further into the park, you’ll run into JinCheng Lake(锦城湖)and the whole loop (if you can connect all the paths (all closed to traffic for the most part) is about 10km of uninterrupted, very pleasant running.

    Downtown I run along the river just south of TianFu Square toward DuFu park…and in 2 years I’ve seen exactly 1 foreign woman running and less than 5 guys. You’d be somewhat of a novelty. I actually run a training camp and we meet Sat. mornings at JinCheng Park; you could stop by this Sat. morn if you wanted to meet me/check out the camp no strings attached. All local members at the moment; some are just getting in shape/losing weight and others are preparing for half and full marathons.

    As SquirrelSuit said above, you’ll kind of get used to judging air quality by actual visibility but a phone App is useful (if not discouraging at times). If time is not terribly limited, it’s really worth a 2-hr roundtrip subway ride to LongQuanYi as you can get on dirt trails and country roads, tho the air isn’t better. LongQuan is a place I go to regularly to prepare for trail races as it’s got some good elevation relief and decent trail network, though you can get turned around if you’re not familiar with the area. Conversely, there are beautiful roads and cement paths at (or even Dujiangyan–only 30RMB roundtrip on fast train, 45-55 min. each way, give or take) QinqCheng Back Mountain 4 hour round-trip (60-70 min. D-train from north train station to QingCheng Station beyond Dujiangyan, followed by 30-40 min. public bus ride each way. Lots of stairs gives a challenging workout for even the most in-shape hikers/runners and you can be rewarded with great scenery and fresh air at the Back Mtn (and lots of crowds on the weekends; expect about 90RMB for all tickets and travel). Can give more info if you want to PM me.

    #48107
    Avatar photoJustintochina
    Participant

    Forgot to mention; tho I agree in part with what Julius wrote, I would say with the exception perhaps 10 days in the last 700, the best air you breathe will be late afternoon before rush hour (3:30-5 give or take). Though mornings and late nights have less traffic, the air settles in this huge Chengdu valley at night and morning and lifts (heats up) throughout the day, thereby giving us continually improving air quality til rush-hour, more or less. So, exercise before dinner (if work allows), shower and eat and enjoy the nightlife here.

    #48108
    Avatar photoJustintochina
    Participant

    And one more thing–masks are good, in theory, if you can handle breathing thru them. I’ve used a mask a few times for biking and once for running. If you like to run at a pace that makes talking in full sentences a struggle, you’ll find it very hard (and hot) to breathe through a mask that filters out any legitimate amount of particulate matter. If it’s over 225 or so even in the afternoon, I take the day off (or turn on my filter and do an indoor workout.) But, you’ll notice (esp. this winter) that a day can start out at 300 (well, lets’ go w/local monitoring stations for this example) and by late afternoon, the AQI will be around 160-180. The Consulate always is a stricter measuring device and/or employs a diff. mathematical formula to arrive at its’ AQI. Don’t get too boxed in by numbers–just get outside and enjoy the city’s green spaces before you go crazy!

    #48125
    Avatar photoKriStinaMz
    Participant

    Thanks Justintochina I will definitely pm you after I arrive and settle in Chengdu.

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