There’s nothing better than the anticipation of summer vacation. Whether it’s relaxing at the beach for a few days or getting to explore a new city, my vacations and time away from the day-to-day grind are often the highlight of my year. Too bad summer vacation and marathon/triathlon training are arch enemies. They hate each other. “Vacation” does everything in her power to derail your exercise schedule. She entices you with fancy dinners and rich foods. She tempts your willpower with beautiful settings and relaxation. And “Training” wants to give in every time. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I’m heading to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. I’ll be there for a work meeting the first 2 days but will have the full weekend to play and explore the city with Mr. rUnladylike. While I’m over-the-moon about our short get-away, I’d be lying if somewhere deep down I wasn’t panicking about how I’m going to get my 16-miler in or what I’ll do about missing a 3-hour bike ride on Sunday.

So it got me thinking, how can I make sure that travel doesn’t unravel my training?

Try my 5 tips to prevent traveling from unraveling your training:

1. Schedule your workouts into your itinerary. Just like you book flights, make dinner reservations and reserve sightseeing tours, pencil in (no, permanent marker in) your exercise time. If you don’t commit to doing it and finding a time where it won’t interfere with the rest of your itinerary, you’ll be less likely to make it happen. For my Chicago trip, I’ve scheduled time to exercise Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I’ve written it into our itinerary right next to a festival we’ll be attending and our plans for dinner. Hold your judgment on my psychotic and neurotic ways. We’re still getting to know one another *wink!* And it works.
2. Do your research. If you’re like me, you’ve been in one too many crappy hotel gyms or gotten hopelessly lost on a running route while staying far from home. Do some research before you go to find opportunities that will help you meet your goals while balancing your vacation plans. For this weekend, I’ve already contacted the Chicago Area Runners Association and made plans to meet them at 6 a.m. for a long run on Saturday morning. I’ve also found a Flywheel location in Chicago so I can take a class while I’m there. A friend who lives in the city recommended a great place to do an open water swim. The added bonus is getting to experience your training in a whole new way – new surroundings, new people and a new environment to keep things interesting.
3. Do it early. If you’re going to schedule in workouts while on vacation, do it early. You’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy yourself and you’ll be less likely to inconvenience others traveling with you so their day doesn’t revolve around your run.
4. Make your sightseeing active. If getting up at the crack of dawn to run just isn’t an option, consider making some of your scheduled activities ones where you’re moving. While we’re in Chicago, we’re going to take a tour of the city (wait for it …) on kayaks. We’ll be with a guide for 2-3 hours and will paddle 6 miles, all while learning more about Chicago and getting to see the beautiful architecture from a whole new perspective. Most cities also have interesting walking and biking tours for people of all fitness levels. Chicago even has a running tour (with or without beer)! These are guided runs where you get to choose how far you want to run and what areas you want to see. A personal guide apparently meets you at your hotel and takes you on your at your pace, providing water and taking photos for you. You even get a swag bag afterwards. How cool is that!?! Mr. rUnladylike quickly vetoed this idea, as my running already takes up too many brain cells on our vacations. But that’s something I’d definitely love to try!
5. Don’t forget you’re on vacation. My biggest piece of advice is that with anything, be sure to find balance. You’ve got to find a happy mix between training to achieve your race goals and enjoying life and the moments you’re in. A day off – or a few days off – isn’t going to kill you. In fact, a few rest days here and there while doing something fun may be just want you need to recharge and come back even more focused. Missing out on time with your family and friends or a beautiful cityscape or beach is not something you can get back. Soak up the moments. Enjoy new experiences. Your run will be waiting for you tomorrow.

   

What tips do you have for working out when you’re traveling far from home? Where is the coolest run you’ve done while traveling? Going anywhere awesome this year?