Jogging in Shanghai

Jogging Route

I like to go for a jog sometimes. I belong to a club but it doesn’t open until 7:00 AM which is too late. So I jog outside. This is absolutely ridiculous. What am I thinking?

First of all, these days I am sweating before I even get out of the elevator. It is actually kind of like a free workout because you don’t even have to try to break a sweat. Then I hit the road which at 6:00 AM is already getting crowded. I have to dodge taxis, motorcycles, old guys walking backwards, old ladies doing tai chi, and the occasional dog that tries to chase me. The jogging route takes me past homeless dudes, homeless dudes’ bathrooms (stairwells), street vendors, recyclers and a dirty river. It is actually kind of like an ultra-sweaty cross training workout that requires all of your attention.

The topper is the pollution. Again, what am I thinking? Dripping sweat at 6:00 AM, sucking on coal and asbestos and jumping over dogs and street vendors like some kind of big, white clown.

Good times.