Running on vacation

Hey everyone,

Drew Hunter here to talk about how to adjust your run training while traveling this summer. Ironically enough, I'm on a short beach vacation with my family before I build into my preparation for the World Road Running Championships at the end of September. Our brand manager, Rachael, is somewhere in Italy — and she told me I needed to get another newsletter out, so here we are.

I had the option to train this week but didn't want it to get in the way of maximizing time with my family. So I thought I'd share some of my go-to tips for making the most of vacation without completely abandoning your running.

Get it done early.

First things first — go run! Not only is this good advice in the summer before it gets hot midday, but it's especially smart when you're with family. Nobody wants to be the person who puts running first on vacation, because it's not all about you and your training. The best way to avoid that is to get up before most people do and be done by the time the family is ready to get the fun started. Yes, you might lose an extra hour of sleep, but we're making compromises here.

Run once a day.

Doubles are one of the easiest ways to ruin a family trip. Think about when most of the fun happens — early afternoon into the evening, right when you'd normally head out for a second run. For that reason, I strongly suggest sticking to one run on vacation. If you had planned 8 miles in the morning and 4 in the evening, maybe you make it one 10-mile run as a compromise. I promise, you'll be fine — and you won't be the person who makes the whole family miss a boat trip because of a 4-mile jog.

Run from where you're staying.

One of the easiest ways to eat up time is hunting down the perfect trail or run spot in your vacation town. Chances are, it's not right next to where you're staying. Save yourself the hassle and just run from your door. Use Strava to map out routes that loop back to the house. And instead of tracking down a local track for repeats, do them on a nearby road. It's essentially the same thing.

Expect to feel bad.

The best way to ruin a vacation is to expect your running to feel great. It probably won't — and that's okay. The goal is just to get it done. If your runs don't feel as good as usual, take it with a grain of salt. I like to do what I call "free will" training on trips: run a few hill repeats on the hill near the house, or do effort-based work along the roads without obsessing over pace or distance. I'm not comparing these routes to my track sessions — just running for the fun of it.

Skip the gym.

Again, the theme here is adjustment. Gym training is great, but for a 5-day vacation, you're probably better off doing some bodyweight work after your run. Finding a gym, paying for a day pass, and not knowing what equipment they'll have just adds unnecessary stress. Not lifting for a week won't hurt you, and there are plenty of ways to work with whatever you have around the house.

Want support for your own training?

If any of this resonated with you, HAX has options for whatever stage you're at:

• 1-on-1 Coaching — Work directly with a HAX coach to build a training plan around your life, your goals, and yes, even your vacation schedule. Learn more at haxtraining.com

• Training Plans — Prefer to go it alone? We've got plans built for every level. Grab one on TrainingPeaks

• High School Coaches — Running a program and looking for guidance or free resources? Fill out this quick form and we'll get you set up with free training plans and support. Apply here

Until next time, keep running — even on vacation.

— Drew