Keeping Up With Your Running Routine During Vacation

You’re packing for vacation, and you look at your running shoes. Should you put them in the suitcase or leave them at home? The question bothers you for a bit, and you decide to take them, just in case. But when will you run? Where will you run? Can you keep up your routine?

All of those questions have an answer. Unless you have the highest-intensity marathon prep while on vacation, dial it back a bit. But just a bit! Here are some tips to help you keep the routine and break a sweat while listening to the ocean waves.

Settle the arguments first

If you’re travelling with friends or family, they’ll probably have some expectations from you during the holiday (think zero training and only sipping cocktails by the beach with your feet in the air). Of course, vacations are for spending as much time with family and friends as possible.

But that doesn’t mean they should guilt trip you for wanting to do a quick 30-minute run. It’s a good practice to let them know your running plans, like when you want to do it and create an arrangement that works for everyone. You might have to wake up 30 minutes earlier than all, but that’s a sacrifice you may be willing to make.

Check for any local races

When creating a running plan for your vacation, you should first research some local races. Why? Because a medal has more sentimental value and is worth more than a fridge magnet and a postcard. Local races are the best way to get your run in and mingle with the local community of the place you’re visiting. If there aren’t any, you can check if there’s a park run. If not, go solo.

Make a plan

Your running plan depends on whether you’re chasing a personal record in the next race or just a casual runner. If you’re in the peak weeks of your marathon or triathlon training, booking a holiday at that time makes no sense. You need to think about your training plan before you set the date.

Now, here are a few suggestions that could help you or give you some ideas on how to integrate a few runs:

After the flight or drive, everyone wants to rest. If you feel like it, you can use that time for a quick jog around the neighbourhood.

–        Wake up 30 minutes before everyone else and put in a few miles.

–        Stay up 30 minutes after everyone else goes to bed and run in the night.

–        Wake up at 4 a.m., complete your run, shower, and return to bed.

Running in hot weather

If you’re travelling to a tropical place, your body will need time to adapt to the heat. You’ll need to decrease the intensity of your training and maybe integrate a run-walk method. As the days go by, you can gradually add miles and increase your pace without adding too much stress to your body.

The optimal time for a run in hot places is early in the morning or late during the day. You don’t want to get a heatstroke for pushing too hard. Plus, you’ll get dehydrated quickly, so ensure you have a water bottle or a sports drink in your hand the whole time. Be sure to hydrate before, during, and after your run.

Stay safe

Since you’re in an unfamiliar area, you must do everything possible to stay safe. Ask your host or some locals about dangerous areas, and don’t go there. Don’t run into forests or remote areas. It’s best to have a running buddy, but if not, you need to have your phone and announce when you’re going out and when you plan on returning.

When you’re in a foreign country, you don’t have access to the internet the whole time. So you might stop at a coffee shop and connect to the free Wi-Fi to tell your family that you’ll extend your run for another half hour. But that behaviour is another red flag. Cybercriminals could be waiting on the public network and breaching your phone. The next time you connect to the internet, you could see your entire bank account drained. That’s why you need to know how to use a VPN and use it constantly while abroad.

Another important thing is not to document your travels on social media. Real criminals could be looking at your Instagram profile. So, if you post your Strava run, they can check the location and presume you’re not at home. Save your pictures for when you come back.

Be respectful of cultures and customs

Some countries have strict rules about what you wear out in public. For example, in Western culture, it’s normal for a woman to run in shorts and a sports bra. But in Middle Eastern cultures, that’s disrespectful, and they have strict views about such things. The same thing goes for men running shirtless. It makes sense to wear what’s comfortable at home, but respecting the culture is essential when you’re in a different place.

Motivation and discipline

Last but not least, there’s motivation and discipline. They are two sides of the same coin, pushing you to complete your goals, even when you don’t want to. If you stop training altogether, you break the habit. You can start eating junk food, and before you know it, a few weeks pass by, and you’re back to square zero.

Keeping up with your habits, even on vacation, takes extreme discipline. But that’s the thing that separates the winners from the losers. When running the next marathon for 3.5 hours, it’s better to have a positive memory of running while on vacation and imagine you’re there instead of cussing at yourself for skipping the workouts when your legs start cramping.