So, you go away on holiday, it could be a weekend away for you and your other half, or a family holiday abroad for a week or two. The question is: do you take your running kit with you?
Some would say definitely yes as it's important to keep up your fitness levels. Others would say yes - but the kit then wouldn’t make it out of the suitcase. While others would point blank say no - holiday time is to overindulge and I’ll run when I get home. Having just been on a weeks holiday with my wife and 18 month old son, the answer for me was definitely yes!
With the Athens Marathon approaching this November, I want to try and maintain a decent level of fitness over the next 10 weeks so the thought of running whilst on holiday was very appealing.
Is it unreasonable to want to run a few times on your own whilst on holiday?
Some might see it as a bit of an obsession, the thought that you can’t go away for 7 days and spend the time with your family without the need to click Strava into gear and go for a run. For me, running is a great way to put myself in the right mindset to juggle family life and keep up the fitness levels for the 26.2 miles planned later this year.
For those that have young families, or remember what it was like when you kids were young, it’s tiring! Now running might not seem like the obvious way to recharge your batteries, but for me, it gives me a boost and energises me for what the rest of the day has in store. My wife (17 weeks pregnant I should add) also needs time to chill out so it was a fine balancing act between timing the runs for when they are both sleeping, or at the time of day when he’s most chilled out and in his playful self.
What’s so great about running when you’re away?
So many things! You get to explore new territory. We were in Brittany for the first time so it was great to roughly plot a route and head out for 45 minutes. The terrain was fairly undulating, especially compared to our home city of Portsmouth which is as flat as anywhere in the UK. You never quite know what’s round the next bend (a herd of cows stopped me in my tracks while the farmer escorted them into his farm), fields full of sunflowers glistening in the sun, deer & hare feeding in fields and then racing off at first sight of me.
Keeping an eye on the watch was important as you could easily just keep running, taking in the sites, sounds and smells, but it’s important to not overdo it. 45 minutes was a great amount of time to run, enough time to get the endorphins flowing and you feel recharged. Home, showered and ready to entertain the family for the rest of the day.
Heading away any time and considering taking your running kit? I'd thoroughly recommend it. You'll feel the benefits and so will your family.
Happy running!
Craig - Team runr.
