This weekend we are taking a mini-vacation to Ohio. Ok, well I don’t quite think I’d say “vacation” but we are heading to Ohio for a family wedding. While traveling is stressful, I think we are both looking forward to getting away for a bit and for a bit of an extended weekend. No matter where we go you can always bet we will be running while traveling.

Running while traveling can be fun but it can also take a little bit of work to coordinate it around other schedules. This weekend we have a few events we have to be at so we don’t want running to interfere with family plans. Sometimes you have to get creative but it makes running in a new place all worthwhile.

Here are a few things we make sue to do when running when out of town:

Be Flexible

Often times running while you are out of town takes some creativity especially if you have other commitments during your travels. You may have to switch up how you normally run, or even switch around your training days to accommodate your schedule.

The few times I’ve had to travel for work I make sure that the hotel I’m staying in has a treadmill so I can run early and not have to worry about mapping out a course. You have to flexible when traveling because most likely you aren’t traveling to run.

Map Out Your Course (MapMyRun)

I’ve used MapMyRun for forever even around my town. I often like to map out courses for my long run to help break up the boredom.

If you are in a new city, it comes in handy even more! Map out your course ahead of time to know where to go and to let others know where you are going. If you are traveling to be with friends or family let them know your course to make sure you are going to be running in safe areas.

I usually try to stick near where we are staying just so I always know how to get back should I get lost. I don’t like to venture too far away when I am unfamiliar with the area.

This post is in no way sponsored by MapMyRun it is just something I’ve always done.

Check out the Trails

As I mentioned earlier, do a little research on the internet before you go for local running trails before you head out. This can take a lot of the guess work out by not having to plan a route, and you’ll be surrounded by other runners, walkers, and bikers!

It’s also a great way to venture out and explore areas you aren’t used to. You will be amazed at how wonderful it is to just run in a new area.

Let Others Know Your Plans

Out of respect for others, let them know your plans to run. My family and my husband’s family pretty much expect it now but we make sure to not take up any time they have planned.

Sometimes others will want to get involved so I often try to make sure I don’t have any definitive running plans and am able to switch them up as needed. Plus for me, I don’t like the added pressure when I am traveling.

Get it Done and Out of the Way

I almost always get my run done first thing in the morning, most of the time before everyone else is even awake. I prefer it anyways to beat the heat this time of year but it helps to make sure we are not interfering with anything.

You don’t want it hanging over you the entire day anyways, so get up and get it done!

Traveling and running can be tricky and depending on what you are traveling for it can make it worse. Just focus on doing what you can and try not to be too strict.

Do you get your running in while traveling?