So you’re planning a vacation, yay!! If it’s one that doesn’t center around running, you owe it to your non-running ‘roommates’ to think through how you plan to get your run in. Or, in other words, you need a plan on how to be a good runner travel buddy!
Seasoned runners might have gone through this planning and thought process before, but for new runners who want to stay consistent with their training, a little planning goes a long way. The end goal will be to make sure you get your runs in and to help keep the peace and harmony among all travelers. (And if you have kids, you know those ‘roommates’ are less than forgiving if they are woken up early. AKA they will NOT go back to bed.)
Go Early So You Can Participate in Other Plans
Running is important to you. We know that you know that, and your travel buddies most likely know that. Yet, despite the level of importance placed on running, when you’re traveling you have to find a way to squeeze running in. Odds are, those travel days are jam-packed with activities. There is so much to do and only so much time to do it all! You haven’t a second to spare, but you need about 5,000 seconds to spare to get your run in.
That’s a non-negotiable.
The best solution?
Go early!
Get your run done first thing in the morning so it’s not hanging over your head (and consequently, everyone else’s heads as well!). If you go early you’ll have your run out of the way and the rest of the day to do whatever travel plans are on the agenda. Your travel mates will thank you.
Sleep in Your Running Clothes to Be a Good Travel Runner Buddy
If going early is hard for you, which it definitely can be on vacation, try to do a little prep the night before to make your morning a success. You could try simple things such as sleeping in your running clothes, untying your shoelaces, and having your pre-run fuel all set up the night before. If you wear contacts, grab those and set them out, along with your contact solution.
Planning to brush your teeth before you jet out the door? You could even go as far as having the toothbrush already made up the night before. Might seem a little extreme, but the less your brain thinks, the smaller the hurdles are between moving you and your body out the door.
The shoelace untying is super helpful when I know I have a tight timeline in the morning….for real.
Plus, bonus, you won’t be rooting around in the pitch black trying to find a sock or the tube of toothpaste and waking up everyone who was soundly sleeping.
If you can get out the door early, and you travel someplace where there’s a beach or a trail, you might get to enjoy either area when there are fewer people around.
Use Your Phone as a Flashlight
Now, having everything laid out is great. However, even if things are in the perfect order, if your hotel room is super dark, you’re going to have a hard time finding things. This is where your handy-dandy phone flashlight will come in handy. You’ll have just enough light to get your clothes on without having to turn on the overhead light.
If you wear contacts, like mentioned above, set your phone just over the edge of the sink with the flashlight on and unobstructed. This will give you a little bit of reflective light, off the sink and mirror, allowing you to get your contacts in. Otherwise, if the light is shooting straight up it might irritate your eyes and make it a little more challenging to get your contacts into your eyes.
Keep Your Alarm Close To You to Be a Good Travel Runner Buddy
Odds are you’re going to need an alarm to pry yourself out of bed for your morning run when traveling. The best bet is going to be sticking with your own personal alarm. One that you are used to waking up to and one that you can keep close to your body. Not only will this allow you to keep the sound down some, but it will also allow you to turn the alarm off quickly. Try not to hit snooze if you can, just keeping your travel buddies in mind, but if you’re afraid the one alarm won’t wake you up, set two alarms! Set the alarms 5 to 10 minutes apart, just to give yourself some peace of mind.
I’ve been known to set 4 to 5 alarms if I need to get up at a crazy hour (ahem, runDisney races, I’m looking at you and your 2 am wake-up call).
Be Mindful When You Get Back to the Room
Since you are getting up early to get your run in, there’s a chance you’re going to be back before the other people in your hotel room wake up. Obviously, it all depends on their wake-up schedule, but it could happen! If you think they might be sleeping when you get back to your room, just be sure to enter the room quietly. Get your stretches in outside and maybe do a cool-down walk to get your heart rate down. Take it one step further and leave your fresh change of clothing in the bathroom, ready for you to hop into the shower.
Conclusion to 5 Tips to Being a Good Travel Runner Buddy
There ya go! 5 tips to being a good travel runner buddy. The main summary point of this article is to plan out your runs in advance. Plan to go early and sleep in your running clothes. Use your flashlight to help you navigate around your hotel room, keep your alarm close to you, and be mindful of others when you get back to your hotel room. It is possible to stick with your running routine (if you want to!) when you’re on vacation, whether you are new to running or a seasoned pro.
What other tips would you include in this list? If you want more tips on running while traveling, be sure to check out this post here. It dives into more of the specifics of how to execute your run while traveling.
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