- A Deutsche Bank executive who's traveled to more than 60 countries for work always does the same thing when he gets to a new city.
- Piers Constable, a managing director based in New York, told Business Insider that he goes for a morning run as soon as he arrives somewhere new.
- He says it's an opportunity to explore the city that you otherwise wouldn't have while stuck in taxis or meetings.
A Deutsche Bank executive who's traveled to more than 60 countries for work always does the same thing when he first gets to a new city.
Piers Constable, a managing director based in New York who travels between eight and 10 days out of the month, says the first thing he likes to do in a new place is go for a morning run.
"I like getting to a new city and just going for a run in the morning and seeing that city wake up," Constable told Business Insider. "And that's a really good way of exploring a city that you just don't often have the opportunity to do when you're traveling because you're stuck in taxis or stuck in traffic or meeting people at hotels."
Constable said he purposely books his hotel near a park or a river where there are trails to run.
"I like starting my runs in the dark and watching the sunrise, taking the opportunity to think through the day ahead while the rest of the city is asleep," he said. "I feel I'm a step ahead of everyone else for the rest of the day."
Even though it means he gets less sleep, Constable says waking up early to fit in exercise enables him to keep up his demanding travel schedule. He oversees a team that arranges financing for infrastructure in emerging markets, which means most of his clients are not in New York.
He makes sure he has workout clothes in his bag at all times, scopes out hotel gyms to make sure they'll work for him, and travels with a resistance band so he can work out in his hotel room as a last resort.
Jen Drexler, a frequent business traveler who specializes in strategic consulting for women, recommends joining every airline and frequent flier program you can to make travel smoother.
When it comes to hotels, Drexler suggests requesting a specific room location.
"I hate being near the ice machine or housekeeping station because I'm a light sleeper," she says. "Some people prefer being by the elevator or being as far away from it as possible."
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