IT’S RACE WEEKEND!!!

Race Weekend? Seriously, Pat? You?

Don’t look so surprised, Boo Boo!!! I started (my version of…) running right after we got Luna Belle in December 2012. My sweet puppy and I have trained all the way up to a half marathon, using Jeff Galloway’s Run/Walk method (https://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/run-walk/). The Olympic champion gives fantastic advice for those of us who have always hated running, and are only barely engaged with the process now, too. 

So, read on for suggestions about turning a race weekend into a vacation weekend! 

Choose Anywhere Nowadays!

Running is absolutely free, you can do it anywhere, and at any length of time and distance. You just need some sneakers. Because of the ease of starting a running program, runs of all lengths are available anywhere you might want to go.

East Coast

Surely you know about the New York and the Boston Marathons, but those are only the publicized races in those cities. There are tons of races of smaller distances up and down the eastern seaboard. You can find a beachside race in North Carolina, or a mountain region race in Virginia—the options are endless!

Las Vegas

If running through a huge tourist attraction is on your bucket list, consider the Rock n Roll marathon series, which makes a yearly stop in Las Vegas. You can run right down the center of the Las Vegas Strip at night, which is something phenomenal to see. Other length and style runs—I’m looking at you Color Run—take place within our city limits if you’d like something different.

London

Sweet Husband’s best friend just ran the London Marathon this month! We are incredibly proud of all of his accomplishments, and it reminded me that running is universal! Now is the time to visit your favorite city abroad and include a nice run to get a glimpse of the city from a different perspective.

Any City, USA

With the explosion of popularity running has enjoyed, every city in America now sponsors or supports marathons, half-marathons or other interesting distances. Pick any city you are interested in visiting, and do some research about what upcoming races they are hosting. 

The Ultimate: Disney

This is what got me off the couch.

Disney.

A Disney Race Weekend.

Disney dipped its toes into the running game all the way back in 1994, with their first marathon. It was relatively small, but started to build a dynasty. In 2012, Disney hosted its first Expedition Everest 5k, and I was enthralled. The opportunity to do a short run with an included obstacle course late at night in a theme park? Yes, please! 

Starting with that race, I was hooked on running with runDisney (https://www.rundisney.com/) and started to increase my distances to go to more races. I did all of these races with my girlfriends, so it turned into a fantastic opportunity to travel just with women I loved, and stay in better shape. 

From the 5K to the 10K to the Tower of Terror 10-miler, we kept increasing both the number of races we did, and the distances. After running half marathons in both Disneyland and Disney World, we knew we had reached the pinnacle of our successes. 

A Disney race just might be what gets you off the couch, too, and I strongly encourage you to visit their page and consider including a run in your upcoming Disney vacation on either coast. They are just so much fun. 

What Distance Should You Do?

While I’ve never done a full marathon, I did work my way up to a half-marathon, so I know exactly how hard it is to find that “perfect distance” that suits your ability and need.

Your Comfort Zone

Anybody can do a 5k. Literally—you can walk it and still make it across the finish line before a lot of people. This is definitely a “comfort” distance, and is the perfect starting point for your running journey.

Outside Your Comfort Zone

The 10-miler was the biggest hurdle jumping from a 10K. It was outside my comfort zone, and probably outside of my abilities at the time, but I did it and it was great. Honestly, I only pushed myself because the after party was in a closed theme park with my favorite ride!

Just Having Fun!

My favorite distance is definitely the 10K, because it does push me a bit outside my comfort zone, but you can really relax and get into a rhythm. It enables me to really enjoy the experience with my friends, while also feeling like I accomplished something. 

Creating A Travel Schedule

So, I’m advocating that you take a trip surrounding a race. I’m suggesting you leave your hometown and travel with the purpose of enjoying a great race in a city you’d like to visit. You need to be prepared.

Acclimating to weather

Flying from Vegas to Orlando for a Disney race was entering a very different climate. We needed to get there a day or two early for the longer races, to get used to the humid air, and be able to rest before the race. Don’t discount the importance of getting into town a few days in advance.

Going to the Expo

I love a good race Expo! Even though you might want to spend the days before the race exploring the city, be sure to leave time to enjoy the Expo. Not only do I like to do some shopping when I pick up my bib, but there are often interesting speakers and activities you might enjoy. 

Actually enjoying yourself!

In the preceding days, I’m quite focused on the race, so it’s important to stay a few days after the race when the pressure is off. You won’t want to do a ton of walking or touring prior to the race, so make sure you leave time for that afterwards. 

Make It Worth The Effort

Excluding Disney, taking a race weekend are relatively inexpensive, and always come with at least a shirt to add to your collection. You will, however, be shelling out money for travel, accommodations and food while you are at the destination. This is why it should be somewhere you are excited about visiting.

Choose somewhere you want to visit

Our friends who just went to the London Marathon extended their trip to enjoy Scotland—revisiting areas where their ancestors came from. A perfect way to experience both an iconic race, and iconic historical locations.  

Decide how far away to go

The further you go, the harder it is to acclimate to the climate and other factors, plus it will cut into your overall vacation days for the year. Decide just how far is “too far” to go just for a race, and stick with it. While thousands of people travel thousands of miles for a Disney race, I’m not saying it makes sense! 

What’s your non-race budget

We mentioned the wide range of things you will have to pay for onsite. Make sure that your budget will still allow you to enjoy the experience of visiting a different part of the world or country. It won’t be worth it if you will just sit in the hotel on your non-race days. 

Travel Considerations

Adding a race into a vacation (or the other way around!) takes considerable planning and advance work so that you can enjoy both portions of the trip. You don’t want to shortchange either thing—the race or the vacation—so a little frontloading will go a long way while you are onsite in your destination.

Is the extra day worth it?

ALWAYS. Another day at either end is absolutely always worth it. But is it possible? Adding a day increases your lodging and food budget, not to mention whatever activities you add to that day. We liked to add days after the race, when the pressure was off.  

Pack absolutely everything for race day

You might not be going to a desert island (or maybe you are, I don’t know!?) but you don’t want to rely on the local Piggly Wiggly to carry your favorite pre-race snack. Bring absolutely everything that is essential to you having a successful race with you from home. 

Pack your recovery supplies

Equally important, bring everything related to your recovery. Do you like to soak in Epsom salts after a race? Piggly Wiggly won’t have that, either! Bring your own ice packs or post-race medications so that you will be ready to enjoy the rest of the vacation. 

Choose your hotel carefully

The main consideration for your hotel has to be centered on the race. You need to get to your corral at a very specific time—usually very early in the morning. You need to make sure you will have a way to get there, and back, on race day to minimize your anxiety. 

My Experiences 

I loved the years we spent doing Disney race weekend trips, and I mourn the fact that our bodies kind of “fought back” and have relegated us to just walking now. What we gained from those experiences, however, was an intense love for “girl’s weekends”. So much so, that at this point my friends and I still average about four “girls only” trips per year.

They just don’t seem to line up with any race weekends…

No problem…we can always find something to do!

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR

Thank you for reading all about taking a race weekend!

Hey, since you’re here! You may as well check out some other tips, like how to make an airplane comfortable, here, or what spending New Year’s in Vegas is like, here! Or, check out our other topics here! Either way, I appreciate you!

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