TORONTO August 16th 2015. Digital Champion Danielle O’Hanley started running three years ago after signing up for a half marathon at Disney. She worked her way up through the Running Room’s training programs to a marathon clinic and 4 marathons later, 42.4k is a distance she’s still eager to master! Danielle is inspired by runners across the city of Toronto. Following the many run crews, coaching clubs, and running groups on social media pushes her to go the extra mile and keep exploring new routes. When she’s not running, you’ll find Danielle out with her friends, testing out craft beers, cross-training or checking off new restaurants from her “to try” list. Connect with Danielle on Twitter and Instagram.
Vacations and Running: Tips to Keep Your Marathon Training On Track. By Danielle O’Hanley
Training for a marathon takes months and months of preparation; when you’re preparing for a fall race, that often means you’ll be tackling your longest and hardest workouts at the height of the summer, right when cottages, camping, patios, and summer holidays are calling.
When I was training over the winter, I think I missed one, maybe two runs over a 25+ week training cycle. Miraculous, I know. So after I signed up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and realized I had a busy summer of work travel, holidays and adventures ahead of me, I knew it was going to be a challenge to stay on track.
Here are some tips to consider before you get away, so you can enjoy your travels and still nail your fall race goals:
Go in with a plan
Don’t just tell yourself you’ll “fit in a few runs”. Write down your distances and workouts on a calendar, and research running routes near where you’ll be staying. Strava, Nike+ and MapMyRun have great route discovery tools, and some hotels like the Fairmont and the Shangri-La have running-specific packages for travelers. Try to think of your workouts as another chance to do some sightseeing: when I was in Vancouver recently, I never would have been able to see as much of the sea wall as I did if I hadn’t plotted my 25K long run along the coast. Finally, consider getting your runs done in the morning so you can enjoy the rest of your day with your travel companions.
Find a group to run with
There’s nothing more motivating than running 
with a group. Did you know that every RunningRoom in the country has free runs on Wednesday and Sundays? If running with a crew is more your thing, there’s no shortage of options: Three Run Two (Chicago), East Vancouver Run Crew (Vancouver – pictured at right), the Parkdale Roadrunners (Toronto), Night Terrors Run Crew (Toronto/LA), District Running Collective (Washington, DC) all have free weekly runs and offer great company. Take the time to do some research before you head off on your trip, and you’ll likely find a few “tour guides” and new friends.
Cross-train
If you simply can’t fit in all of your mileage while you’re away, try your best to stay active: take walking tours, go on hikes, swim at the beach. Everything counts. You’ll be surprised at how much ground you can cover in a day of strolling and shopping – download an activity tracker app on your phone if you want to keep track of your distance.
Consider working with a coach
The more you’re traveling, the harder it gets to build up your mileage, get your hill/tempo workouts in, and fuel yourself properly to train for your race. If you’re having a hard time fitting it all in, a running coach can work with you to adjust your training schedule in a way that makes sense for you. Cookie cutter training plans sometimes just don’t cut it, so if you’re dead set on your fall race goals, a coach can help you make sure you’re getting the right workouts in while you’re travelling, and keep you accountable throughout your marathon training.
Don’t sweat it
You’re on vacation, so don’t forget to relax. Listen to your body and be flexible with your training. Early morning flights, jet lag, and walking can be surprisingly taxing on your legs, so go ahead and pull back if you’re just not feeling it. Don’t risk injuring yourself for the sake of checking off the boxes on your training program. Try to remember that a run or two won’t make or break your training.
Balancing travel and training is possible – it just takes a little bit of planning. Ease back into your training once you’re back, and keep your eyes on the goal: crossing the finish line October 18!
