So vacation season is upon us.  Does that mean the running has to stop or be put on hold?  Not at all!  Even when I’m not traveling for a race I try to fit in a few miles while on vacation.  I’ve been lucky enough over the last several years to be able to run in some fabulous places.  I have had to resort to a treadmill in a hotel workout room as a last choice, but when I have time and I feel it’s safe to go – I love to get outside.

 I’ve run on vacation in Boston (running along the Charles River in the morning while my girlfriends slept in on a girl’s weekend was wonderful).  I went to school in Boston long before I found my passion for running and it was so refreshing to see the city from a different point of view.  And Boston is a huge running city, so I feel like I’m a tiny part of the running culture there now.

I’ve run in Disneyworld at several of the resort.  They almost all have marked paths and you can even check The Mickey Miles Podcast web page for a preview of these routes (http://www.mickeymilespodcast.com/run-the-resorts/).  I’ve even run on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, when visiting on a cruise and run around the deck of the ships.

And one time, while on business in Chicago, I ran along the famed lakeshore.  It was a great couple of runs, before or after meetings and a much needed break from sitting all day.  Getting outside, clearing my head and feeling a part of the host city was a special memory from that trip.

And I’ve run around the town where my grandmother lives while visiting her for the holidays.  She sleeps in and my family is up early, so it’s perfect to fit in 3 or even 12 miles, first thing in the morning.  I don’t take any time away from our family time, but I get to work out my muscles, lungs and renew my spirit while trotting along around her neighborhood or along the river in her town.

So tips for running on vacation :

1.     Plan ahead.  If you don’t pack the necessities (running shoes, clothes, bra, Garmin, etc.) it won’t happen.  If you DO pack them, it might.

2.     Schedule.  If you are working around visiting family or business meetings, think ahead about the best time for fitting in a run.

3.     Stay safe.  Know the area you plan to run – talk to the front desk at the hotel, go out during daylight, take your id and phone and let someone know when to expect you back.  And watch out for local differences.  I nearly got hit by a cyclist in Chicago as running and cycling paths share and cross over.  That’s not an issue on my home path.

4.     Allow yourself to ditch the planned run if it’s too taxing.  I have run on short Disney vacations and business trips but if we are on a longer family Disney trip, I’m often so exhausted from all the fun that a run is work and not fun.

So lace up the shoes, get out and enjoy the beautiful places you visit and see the sites in a different way!