Running and vacations: the surprising truth

by Aug 10, 2015Training for a Half-Marathon0 comments

Hey there.

running and vacations

Vacations are an important time to relax but you can still run, too.

Lucky me, I got to go to Australia on vacation last week! I went to Brisbane on the East Coast, and it was amazing. We swam in the sea (unthinkable in NZ in July), ate delicious food, caught up with family, patted koalas, and of course we ran! Running and vacations can be two words that don’t gel well together for many people. After all, a vacation is about relaxing, unwinding, and having a total break from normal life. I know of many people who tell me exercise is the last thing they want to do on vacation. Well, let me tell you. I enjoyed every minute of my running during our trip. I’ll tell you the reasons why, and one surprising truth.

Three reasons why I love running on vacation


  • It’s a fantastic way to sight see. You see so much more when you travel by foot that you do by car or other vehicles. You can learn more about the environment you’re in, and explore a whole lot more. We stayed near a national park on our recent trip, and made a point of running along the beach and exploring all the trails every morning…it was a fabulous way to start the day. I also got to implement some of my tricks for running in the heat!

    running and vacations

    Why not experiment with some different terrain than you have at home?

 

  • You can run whenever you want! With no job to get to or deadlines to meet, you can choose your running time based on how you feel rather than how convenient it is. This was amazing for me, because I love to run in the mornings, but there is no way that I get up early enough on a work day to fit in a run! I loved our vacation routine of getting up with the sun, having a piece of fruit, then setting off on a running adventure. We could then come back and eat an amazing breakfast and feel energized all day, knowing we’d done a great run.

 

  • You can enter a race you’d never get to do otherwise. I love the atmosphere of a good race or fun run, so if there’s one being held during your vacation, why not enter? You could experience a totally different atmosphere, get a cool medal, or run on some city streets you might not get the chance to otherwise. The Brisbane Half Marathon was actually on while we were there, and I’m kicking myself that we didn’t realize until the day before. I would not have been ready for a half, but I would have had a crack at the 10k…. Brisbane is a beautiful city and I bet the course was amazing. Oh well, next time!

 

The surprising truth


Running on your vacation can actually help you relax and enjoy the moment more. We all know the benefits of physical activity, and this is why so many of us slog through a weekly routine then want to blob on holiday.

But have you ever considered that your usual slogging through your weekly exercise routine is actually helping you have the energy to get through the week?

Imagine how energized and relaxed you’ll feel if you continue to exercise on vacation! Hopefully you love running, and it won’t be a chore for you.

Instead it will be an added enhancement to your already fantastic holiday, and leave you feeling even more refreshed for when you return to reality at the end of it.

 

Your running buddy,

Em

half marathon girl

 

 

 

image 1 by Scarleth Marie, CC 2.0, https://flic.kr/p/53M5tX, image 2 by Raquel Baranow, CC 2.0, https://flic.kr/p/7dSBxv

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