Last year, I put out a blog post – Tips for Running on Vacation – to help runners who still wanted to get some runs in while they were away on vacation.
It only seems appropriate to go one step further and give some tips for traveling somewhere for a race, which is becoming more and more popular these days.
As someone who has traveled for half marathons and marathons (3 international marathons – 2019 Munich, 2022 Copenhagen, 2023 Copenhagen; 1 marathon across the US – 2019 Seattle; and 1 half marathon across the US – 2018 San Francisco) – and gotten PBs in both distances while on my travels, I know there are a lot of things that go into picking a race, preparing for it and then executing on race day.
So I thought that it might be fun to go through different parts of the process (excluding the training part) and share some tips.
Selecting the Race
If you have been eyeing up a certain race for a while, but just haven’t been able to do it for whatever reason, then selecting a race might be an easy decision for you. But if you don’t have a specific race in mind, there are a lot of things to consider.
What Type of Race? (Distance, PB attempt?, Fun?)
Is there a specific distance you want the race to be? Is it an attempt for a personal best time or just a fun race to do in the middle of traveling? Do you want to run a trail or road race?
With several different distances and races to choose from, this could be a tough decision. Ultimately this will come down to your own personal preference. It’s very likely you can find a race almost anywhere that you want to travel.
When is the Race?
This might seem straightforward, but it might also have the biggest impact on your race day experience.
Make sure that you research what the normal temperatures are when and where you decide to go. Typically, a race will be held at a good time of year to be running in that location, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be a temperature or climate that you are used to.
Just because you have been there for vacation before, doesn’t mean that the weather is ideal for running a long-distance race!
Another thing to keep in mind is the months that you will need to be training for the race. For example, it might be a difficult transition to train through the winter months and then run a long distance race in a warmer climate.
Where?
This is another kind of self-explanatory one, but if there is somewhere that you would like to go for vacation and want to do a race while there, you can do a quick Google search to find out if there is a race there.
If you aren’t too particular or don’t have anywhere in mind, you can also check out lists of the best races for a personal best time or races that have been voted the most fun or any other criteria that you are interested in.
Ok – so you’ve chosen your next race. What next?
Pre-Race
Arriving
Depending on the race that you choose and the amount of time that you will be there, it’s important to consider if you will need any time to adjust once you get there. If jet lag is a possibility, try to arrive at least 2 days ahead of the race. This will allow you a good chance to get some rest before race day and not too much time to be tempted by a lot of sightseeing or whatever else you do while traveling.
My experience: In two of my marathons abroad (Munich 2019 and Copenhagen 2022), I arrived 3-4 days before race day. This seemed like the perfect amount of time – allowing me to get over the jet lag and get adjusted to the locations.
Days Before the Race
Relax as much as you can in the days before the race.
This can be easier said than done, especially if you are somewhere that you want to get out and see the sights. Also, if you are traveling with family or someone else, it can be tough to balance relaxing and spending time with them.
My experience: Perhaps the biggest mistake that I have made when traveling for a race was this past May when I went to Denmark again to race in the marathon. I arrived over a week before race day, which definitely helped me get over the jet lag, but allowed way too much time for everything else (sightseeing, eating, drinking, etc.). That’s not an excuse for my race, but I think it was a mistake that could have made the experience even better.
Eating and Drinking
Whatever your preferred meal is for the night before the race, make sure to scope out restaurants that you can go to the day before your race. Also, scope out some local grocery stores so that you can get some of your preferred snacks (or bring some with you on the trip). This will allow you to have food and drinks that you know you like and that your body is accustomed to when you need it in the day or two before the race.
My experience: In Munich in 2019, I stood in the main square eating a chicken burrito at 8pm the night before the marathon because I didn’t make plans for dinner. It was a good burrito and didn’t affect my race, so I don’t really have any complaints about it – but it could have ended A LOT differently!
Night before
Make sure that you have all of your things ready for race morning, including knowing where you need to go to get to the start line. I always put my bib on my shirt and have everything laid out that I will be taking with me to the start area.
Do your best to get to bed early. In my experience, sleep doesn’t come easily the night before the race but even just laying down and resting can be helpful.
My experience: I usually try to make sure I’m back to my hotel early enough to double-check (and triple-check) that I have everything I need for the race. Once I am comfortable that everything is all set, I get in bed and read or watch TV until sleep hopefully comes.
Raceday
On race morning, give yourself plenty of time to get ready in the hotel, including hotel breakfast and of course leaving time for one last visit to the bathroom. Then start walking to the train or bus station or all the way to the start area (depending on location).
Everyone has different pre-race routines, so I don’t need to go into specifics here, but I will say to try your best to keep your routine the same as you would if you were at home for a race.
My experience: In Munich I got to the start area about two hours early, which gave me time to stand at the top of Olympic Stadium and picture myself running into the stadium a few hours later. It also helped to calm my nerves and take in the pre-race atmosphere.
Post-Race
Hopefully, everything went well during the race, you had a great time and you achieved whatever you wanted to accomplish.
Now it’s time to celebrate – whether you achieved your goal or not!
Enjoy your achievements by having your favorite food and drinks or if the destination you chose doesn’t have your favorites, then find the next best thing!
My experience: Probably my favorite post-race experience was after the Munich marathon. After a free beer on the field in Olympic Stadium, an Uber ride back to the hotel for a quick shower and change of clothes, I walked to the biggest beer garden in the world. I sat with a huge beer and some food and enjoyed the sunshine and my efforts from earlier in the day.
Traveling for a race can be a little bit stressful, especially if you aren’t prepared and leave a lot of things to chance. But I’ve found each experience of traveling to a race to be a lot of fun and a feeling different to a local race!
Give it a shot and you probably won’t be disappointed!
Have you ever traveled for race or do you have any plans to? Let me know in the comments!
More Info:
- If you are interested in reading about some of my experiences while traveling for races, here are some previous posts:
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