I got an email recently from a first time attendee to the SQL PASS conference that made me squeal with glee. The email asked the question: do you know a good place to go do Crossfit in Seattle?

I somehow hadn’t realized that I could plan workouts for the conference, and I was so glad I got that tip!

I’m Not an Elite Athlete, Working Out Just Keeps Me Sane

Conferences are great, but they can be overwhelming. Between making new friends, reconnecting with old friends, presenting material, and learning new things, I’m usually wiped out by 3 pm. I keep my schedule as clear as possible during the conference, but there’s inevitably some things that need to be taken care of: future work to schedule, financial tidbits to be tended, requests from ongoing clients that need to be prioritized and answered. (It’s not impossible to fully unplug, but when you run your own business it’s likely to cost you some money when you choose to do so.)

By the third day of a long conference I’m physically and emotionally tired, even when I make a good effort to get solid nights of sleep. I am more of an introvert than I may appear to be– my inner geek just craves some time for quiet.

If there’s one thing I know that helps with this, it’s a good workout. Exercise has a way of clearing my head and helping me feel fresh that just about nothing else can do.

Workout Options on the Road

The good news is, there’s a lot of options. And these options are a lot better than hotel gyms. Those hotel gyms always feel small, hot, and germy to me, so I avoid ’em at all costs.

Option 1: SQLRun

If you’re going to The SQL PASS 2012 conference, consider signing up for the #SQLRUN. This will be a 5K run on Wednesday, November 7th at 6:30 AM.

Runners of all speeds are welcome. I’m going, and I promise I’m a super-slow runner! I typically do run/walk intervals and the mission of the run is to leave-no-one behind, so don’t be shy signing up.

Option 2: Find a Crossfit Box

There’s many options in Seattle and I may personally try more than one! Most Crossfit boxes have options to buy single sessions or tickets for a batch of sessions– you don’t usually have to buy a monthly membership like other gyms. You can find Crossfit online.

Option 3: Walk-In Yoga

Similarly, many yoga places allow walk-in sessions without long term membership. Worried you’ll embarrass yourself? Where better than out-of-town to do it! Here are the top reviewed yoga places in Seattle.

Option 4: Hotel Room Workouts

If you’re just not the social type and you’d like something completely free, Nerd Fitness has published a great 20 minute hotel room workout. It turns out you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get your heart rate going and kick your own butt.

Option 5: Stay at Least a Mile from the Convention Center

There’s two reasons to stay a good distance from most convention centers: it’s cheaper, and walking is really good for you. The catch is to make sure you can walk from your hotel to the convention center and won’t be forced to take a cab.

Seattle is a great city for this– almost anywhere you stay downtown is walkable. And if you need a good bargain on a hotel, check out Seattle hostels (just be mindful that the hostel on Vashon Island requires a ferry ride, and not all neighborhoods are downtown– check maps!).

Got other options? Got questions on what people are getting up to at SQL PASS this year? Just holler in the comments.