Let’s face it: Traveling, as exciting as it may be, can also be tough on your body. Especially when it involves the early flights, long meetings and late nights of work travel, and you’re training or attempting to maintain a running routine while on the go.
Professional athletes have the same issues. Not only are they often traveling to run, part of their job includes hanging out at race expos, meet-and-greets and trade shows on behalf of their sponsors. Sure, it sounds exciting, but it’s still exhausting. We caught up with a handful of elite runners who are always on the go for their travel-tested suggestions. If they work for these seasoned pros, they might just help you too.
Clare Gallagher, trail runner for Patagonia
EAR PLUGS! Sleep can be the crux of travel and is often the hardest part of it, so make sure that snoring dude next to you on the plane doesn’t get in the way of your zzz’s! I’d take ear plugs over a toothbrush any day.
READ MORE: Clare Gallagher: Trail Runner + Activist
Tony Krupicka, mountain runner and ski mountaineer for La Sportiva
Go into travel and work events rested, and just expect to leave exhausted and/or sick. Human interaction on that level is draining and contaminating. But that’s the game. Exercise every morning, even if you inevitably were up well past midnight the night before. It’ll make the whole experience better. Plan to catch up on sleeping when you can or when you get home.
Courtney Dauwalter, ultrarunner for Salomon
Don’t stress about things you can’t control. Enjoy where you are and the things that go with it.
READ MORE: Courtney Dauwalter: Looking for Her Limits
Nick Symmonds, two-time U.S. Olympian and co-founder of Run Gum
By far the number one tip I can provide is to avoid alcohol as much as possible. And trust me, I know just how hard this one can be, and I am terrible at following my own advice here. However, I’ve found that the less I drink, the more energy I have the next day—energy to get up early and get my workout in, and to socialize and network throughout the day. If I end up overdoing it and wake up a bit hungover or sleep deprived then I always have a secret weapon in my back pocket, Run Gum!
READ MORE: Cool Gear—Fruit Run Gum
Gina Lucrezi, ultrarunner for Vasque and founder of Trail Sisters.net
You have to let things go and go with the flow. If you try to keep the same regimented schedule as you do when you’re at home, you’ll get angry.
Meredith Edwards, ultrarunner and ski mountaineer for Altra Running
For training, try to keep it simple and if you’re traveling to a fun destination, plan ahead and figure out when you could fit in a fun run. Enjoy meeting everyone, and try to introduce yourself to someone new. You never know where that connection can take you. Also, drink lots of water.
