We all go on our summer holidays, the question is to run or not to run?
For me, its running this year as I aim to keep my Vo2 max levels at 49. Getting there took some gruelling work, both at the track, and the added long runs at the weekend. In fact, one might well be forgiven for deciding to take two well earned weeks off. The gain, as you might have heard me mention previously from my other posts, is far too valuable for me to lose this year. I had some untimely set backs in other areas of my working life that caused me to miss some weeks on the track. So with that been said, lets get to another list piece.
Here are my five tips for running preparation on your holidays:
- Plan your route in advance. Make sure you know the area you are going beforehand. Google maps can be great, but do extra research using the internet or by calling the hotel you are staying, or the host. Apps like strava are useful but can be tricky to locate starting points etc. Pay particular care if its a city break and make sure the area is safe. You might need to do some extra research for a city break, by finding out information about the local parks and rivers etc in advance. Make sure the areas are safe and perhaps keep your runs to daylight if that is the case. This year, i’m holidaying in a coastal seaside town of north west Italy. I can see by looking at google maps there is a long foothpath stretching over at least 15k. It looks wide also, and from some reasearch online the area is safe and well used by runners. There are some comments about it not being well lit up at night, so i will keep my runs to daytime.
2. Check the weather. This will depend on the time of year you are going. I was recently on a work trip to Finland and the weather was quiet cold even though it was early June. The trip to Italy on the other hand will be hot, so this means some early morning runs. I will need to prepare for them in advance so as not to wake my wife up leaving the house. My plan is to get up at about 6am and run the coastal pathway. Even early in the morning the weather is expected to be 25degrees celsius. Being from Ireland, this is hot for me so I will be sure to wear appropriate clothing, bring some fluid and wear sun protection. Hydrating as soon as I return with some electrolytes will also be crucial in this type of temperature.
3. Buddy up if possible. This will depend on a variety of situations. For me, i’m not sure I will convince my wife to wake at 6am to run on her holidays. For some people however, you might have options like a friend, spouse, family member, whatever. Try to get them out with you to embrace the holiday fitness routine. It’s safer to run as a pair also in a place you are not familiar with, or in weather conditions not to your typical feel.
4. Be flexible. Remember that its your summer holidays and its not all about fitness, or you for that matter. There will be other people to consider, so don’t create such a strict routine that might be hard to stick to. Just aim to get out two or three times whenever you can. Things will come up, evenings might go on longer than planned. Just run when the time is right. If you don’t feel like wakening up, stay in bed, its your holiday after all. Do try to wake up though, especially if its a hot place.
5. Stay safe. Most important advice. You don’t want the holiday ruined by some silly error that could easily have been avoided by doing more research. This can include running in an unsafe place, or not checking the weather properly. Staying visible is key, and don’t get complacent. Remember you are running in unfamiliar territory. Be careful crossing roads, and remember cars might drive on the oppposite side. Maybe walk the route you want to run for the first time, or do a walk and run session. This way you can scope the surroundings, including the road surface, the sort of people hanging out, or just general areas that may not be safe.
Always carry your phone on you is the last bit of preparation i would advise. Get yourself an arm strap to carry your phone, and wear your watch or gps device. Staying active on holidays can be a challenge but also something very enjoyable if you get to do it. Enjoy the ambience of running in a new location. I will be adding a couple of blogs on my holidays, so you can see how I am getting on.
Keep in touch 🙂