Fall race training has begun in earnest! And for many of us, with summer vacations looming or traveling for work, anxiety sets in as we realize that we are going to be on the road during weeks of some heavy mileage that may include tempo runs and/or speed-work.
For the past five years, I have faced this situation several times each month as I trained for full and half marathons. Traveling all over the country, I realized that with proper “pre-planning” utilizing several different methods, not only could I find friendly people to run with, I could also make new friendships along the way. The following is a short list of how I have been successful in continuing my training as I traveled heavily with my job.
Ask Fellow BTC Members! Our wonderful running club has over 1200 members, many of whom have relocated here from all over the country. Asking fellow runners or posting on the BTC Facebook page or the BTC Long Run Facebook page is a great place to start.
Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) – The RRCA website (www.rrca.org) makes it easy way to find sanctioned running clubs in all 50 states. By clicking on the particular state, you will find a running club for every major city with contact phone/email information.
Google – By searching the web for particular areas, you will find not only running sources but also blogs written about those running areas. Many blogs and other resources will list local running groups and sometimes contacts as well.
Local Running Stores – Before leaving for your trip, make a phone call to the running stores in the area. You will find that they are very similar to our partners at Trak Shak, as they are well connected with all of the running groups in the area. In 2010, I made a simple phone call to the Fleet Feet in downtown Chicago. I joined their Tuesday night group run on the Lakefront Trail, and over time I have become very good friends with many runners I met that night. To this day, we still share training advice and sometimes meet up at races around the country.
Hotel/Resort Where You are Staying – As thousands of people continue to join the running community each year, hotels are becoming increasingly runner friendly. Many not only provide maps with suggested routes to run in the city but also are well versed with running groups in the area. It’s definitely worth a phone call before departing. Many hotels even have a running concierge who organizes group runs at select locations.
Facebook – Today, strong running groups will have a Facebook page. The search engine on Facebook continues to improve, and by searching for the city and using key words such as “running” you will find a group in that area. I have found great running groups in many cities I have visited.
Twitter – There are several ways to utilize Twitter to find running groups. Some large running groups have their own Twitter “handles” that you can find through the search engine and then “tweet” them asking for help in finding a group run. You can also utilize “hashtags” -- e.g. #ChicagoRunning -- for larger cities.
My favorite out-of-town running story happened on Twitter. I had tweeted at the NYRR (New York Road Runners) that I was going to be in town and was looking for a run group for an early Wednesday morning run in Central Park. I didn’t get a response at first, but on the day before my run, I received a tweet from @marywitt asking if I had found someone to run with, and if I hadn’t, to meet her at Columbus Circle at 5:45am the next morning. I quickly researched this person, and lo and behold it was Mary Wittenberg (then President of the NYRR and the New York City Marathon). It was the most memorable six miles of my running life as we ran around Central Park discussing marathon running, our families, etc.
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| Michael Gann and Mary Wittenberg, Past President of the NYRR |
There are many different ways to find running groups throughout the country (and beyond), but these methods have been the most successful for me. I have found groups in Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, New York City, Baltimore, New Orleans, Atlanta, San Antonio, Miami, Dallas, San Diego, Portland…name a major city, and I probably have contacts for you! Good luck with your fall training and know there are other running groups around the country who are just as eager to help you as we are here at the BTC every week!
Staying Motivated During Vacations
• Plan ahead! Scope out routes and potential running partners before your trip. Check Mapmyrun, Strava, or GarminConnect for suggested running routes.
• Run in the mornings. Even if you typically run later in the day, scheduling a morning run will ensure you’ll be less likely to skip it later in the day.
• Spend time on your feet. If your running volume decreases because the allure of the beach is just too great, supplement with lots of walking, riding bicycles with the kids or swimming. Cross training can complement your running.
• Stick to the basics. If the thought of locating a track for speedwork or making sure you nail certain paces when the heat is 20 degrees warmer, stick to easier runs. Unless you’re at a key point in your training (such as your longest long run week), taking it easier for a few days should be fine. If necessary, shift your training plan to accommodate your vacation plans.
• Give yourself a break! Sometimes, a short break is good for your legs, your attitude, and your mind.
Adapted from: www.runneracademy.com/running-on-vacation