Tips on how to keep up with your training on holiday

Soon holiday season emerges and many runners find it problematic keeping up with marathon training while being abroad. However, there is no need to worry, all it takes is a little planning and preparation before your departure.

For Easter I was off to Scheifling, my hometown in Austria, to reunite with family and friends over the bank holidays. Even so, I packed my running gear and shoes and fully intended to stick with my half marathon training.

Here are six tips I've put together that might help you to keep up with your training:

1. Make the time: When going on holiday, the first thing that comes to mind is to sleep in, relax and think of nothing. However, when you're preparing for a big run, this is an indulgence you cannot really afford. Best thing to do is to compromise: Sleep in on two days, but get up early on the third. No excuses!
2. Explore new territory: Being in a foreign country can be exciting and give you a huge motivation boost. Hidden treasures of cities and remote places can be best discovered on foot! Be sure to pack your GPS to ensure you'll find your way back.
3. Research your routes: Before you leave, look online for running routes. Many runners track their favourite runs and post them online. With tools such as runtastic.com you can browse and download running routes beforehand.
4. Forget about mileage, just run! - Of course it is important to stick with your set training plan, however, it might not always possible to keep up with high mileage sessions whilst being on holiday. Experts say consistency is more important than high mileage, so a short run is better than none!
5. Check the weather forecast: Before you head off to the airport, check the annual average temperature and weather situation of your destination. For hotter territories, take shorts and light-fabric running tops. For colder areas, be prepared to bring along thermals, hat and gloves!
6. Enter for local races: Check out local event calendars and sign up for running events that suit your training plan. It's a nice motivator, but don't go overboard!

My personal top tips for Scheifling

 

If you ever head to the small village of Scheifling for a break, here are my personal top tips:

Tip 1: The best running routes in town

Murrad'l Weg Lind to Unzmarkt

Distance: 5.1 km one-way
Characteristic: tarmaced roads and cycling tracks

Murweit'l Scheifling to Teufenbach

Distance: 5.3 km one-way
Characteristics: off-road through woods

Tip 2: Restaurants & Pubs

My favourite restaurant in town is Anni Rauchegger's restaurant, situated in the town centre of Scheifling. Annie offers the best home-made and traditional Austrian food from local produce away from home. I can recommend the Cordon-Blue with Pommes Frites, my mum's favourite.

Tip 3: Local activities & sports

Scheifling can cater for many types of sports such as cycling, swimming, hiking and skiing. In winter the next skiing areas are Grebenzen, Kreischberg and Lachtal, all of them about a 20 mins drive away.
In summer the local lake (Badeteich) can offer a refreshing and relaxing dip in cool water. Be sure to try one of the infamous Iced Coffees at Heli's bar right next to the lake.

Tip 4: Shopping & spas

If you feel retail therapy is what you really need, shopping city Fohnsdorf has a wide offer on shops, boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and a cinema and is only about 20mins drive away. It also offers a number of sports shops if you did forget your running shoes at home after all.
The spa Aqualux is situated right opposite the shopping centre and is definitely worth a visit.

Last but not least, don't forget to take the time to enjoy your time away and relax!

Top tips for beginners

Running with friends keeps you motivated

So you've decided to become a runner? Whatever motivated you - and I hope my blog has something to do with it - you should be proud of yourself. The first step is the hardest: To make the decision to become more active. The second one is even tougher: Sticking with it. It is like getting rid of a bad habit, you'll have to fully commit to it and the first runs will be hard work. Eventually, you'll get rewarded by becoming fitter, becoming more confident and may even losing some weight in the process. Without much further ado, let me give you some top tips to get you on your (running) feet:

First of all, do you have any pre-existing injuries? 
Running can be tough on your body so do make sure you are in good condition before you start your training. See you GP and have yourself checked out first.

Invest in good shoes

I'm not saying to go out and spend £100s in sports gear, but you should invest some money in good running shoes. Running can be tough on your joints, running shoes will act as shock absorbers and protect your joints on any terrain. Also, many running shops offer gait analysis for free! The staff will be able to give you advice on your personal running style and offer the perfect fit for your feet. Now as you've invested all the money, you'll also want to make good use of your brand-new shoes.

What should I wear?

For an outdoor run you should ideally wear some light and lose clothes, e.g. an old t-shirt or hoody with a pair of comfy trunks will do. Of course, you can also buy some running clothes, but it won’t improve your performance overall. Sports tops are made out of a very light & breathable fabric that absorbs your sweat to keep you dry. On a cold day I would recommend a hat or headband and gloves.

Warm-up & Stretching

Start each run with a gentle warm-up e.g. climbing the stairs for 5mins and finish with a cool down session. Before and after each run you should gently stretch your leg muscles to give yourself extra flexibility. This will help your muscles and joints to get used to the running and prevent injuries in the long term. Click here to find some great stretching exercises for you post-run workout.

Run-Walk-Run

It is recommended to start with a run-walk-run combination depending on your overall conditioning, eg 2mins running- 5mins walking- 2mins running. If you have been inactive for a while, it will help you to build your fitness level gently. Running is an incremental sport; you should start slowly with short distances and increase running with every run.

Find your breathing rhythm

If you're out of breath or in pain, stop running and walk for a few minutes. Every runner has its own breathing rhythm; you’ll find your own rhythm with time. Breathing correctly is important for your body to transport enough oxygen to your muscles.