Don’t let travel disrupt your training

Holidays, weekends away, work trips, are part of life. Sometimes these trips may come up in the middle of a block of training when you’re trying to be consistent. Travel doesn’t have to get in the way of your training. Training in a new place has its advantages and it’s a great way to discover a new place, however, it may seem a little bit daunting. There are some things that you can do to help plan your training, so you can follow your program.

Sometimes the early morning start may be a little bit daunting, especially if you have had a long journey. Depending on where you have traveled to may dictate the time that you train. I recently went to Dubai, where training had to be done early or late. Getting to see the sunrise in a new place is always amazing!

There is always space for a pair of trainers! Even if you have to roll up your shorts and T-shirt in your shoes, you can always find a little bit of space. If you’re not sure what terrain you will be running on, then pick a pair of all round trainers what will be able to cope with different environments. My go to shoe for weekends away are the Hoka One One Challenger ATR 4 (Yes, they do take up quite a bit of room)!

Running is a very social activity and there are run clubs and groups all over the world. Do a little bit of research before you travel and find out if there are any group runs you can get on. This saves a lot of the planning and you know that you will be in safe hands and taken on some good local routes.

Another great way to experience the culture is to do a local race. A great way to meet new runners and make new friends. Running always brings people together, what better way to do it while racing with some of the locals. It’s always such a humbling experience to see some of the talent all over the world.

If you can’t find a race or a group, or if you want to run on your own then spend a little bit of time looking for or planning routes so you can get the most out of your training. I use Suunto Movescount and google earth to plan my routes, so I can find the best trails, routes or roads. Another way is to look at the Strava segments and then other runner’s routes. Bagging a CR is also very satisfying!

So, don’t worry about traveling and major disruptions to your training. All you need is. Pair of trainers, a smile on your face and an adventurous spirit. Get out there, have some fun and go explore!