How to train on vacation and still relax

Jessica Kuepfer July 17, 2015

One of the many things I love about running is the structure it brings to my weeks. I always know it is Monday because I am doing a track workout and weekends don’t feel complete unless they start with a long run.

The only issue comes when I want to cast aside the structure of my weeks and take a summer vacation that doesn’t involve racing and there isn’t a track or treadmill in sight. Stress management and rest days are as important to training as your track intervals or tempo runs. There is nothing wrong with taking some much-needed time off. I find living an athletic life often demands my loved ones make sacrifices when it comes to the normal waking hours spent together. They know summer weekends often involve me travelling to races and certain evenings are blocked off for training. A vacation often provides a chance to spend some undivided attention with my friends and family without the normal interruptions of work or training.

Depending where you are in your training cycle and what your fall race schedule is, sometimes you cannot have the luxury of a full week off. In my experience, there are lots of ways to fit in your workout on vacation while maximizing your time with friends and family.

1. Exercise early. If I have a track workout or a workout that is harder for people who aren’t running to join me, I will get up before everyone is awake and head to the local gym, track or trail to log miles. opening up the rest of my day.

2. Plan a biking tour and run along. If you have a long run on tap, plan a sight-seeing tour and run while your family or friends cycle. This way you get your miles in and you get to spend time with your loved ones.

3. Pick a time where everyone is having down time and budget a couple hours. If I have training to do, I will wait until my friends are laying on the beach or having an afternoon nap to go on a run.

4. Treat it as a maintenance week. Don’t worry about quality workouts and relax your schedule. Missing a run or two will not affect your fitness in the grand scheme of things.

5. Go on a hike. If you find you are unable to get a run in, try to walk as much as possible. Time on your feet counts and a five kilometre hike is better than nothing.

6. Use the time for strengthening or run therapy that gets neglected on higher volume weeks. Foam roll, do some squats or practice running drills which will help strengthen you for when you are back to your regular training program.