You all know I love to travel to races. And Beer Geek just loves to travel. Period. We are also fans of driving trips. I grew up driving across America – my dad was in the military and we drove between stations plus did a lot of driving family vacations. In fact, I did not fly for the first time until high school. These days we fly more often, but even when we fly someplace, we tend to do long trips while there. (Our summer vacation involves flying to Denver, but we’ll then be driving to Chaco Canyon, Four Corners, Angel Fire, Santa Fe, and Durango.)
So you know that a road trip racecation is something I’m going to do. In fact, I’ve driven as far south as the Florida panhandle and as far west as St. Louis, just for one race. We’ve also done a multi race racecation that covered New England and the Riverboat Series that included Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. We leave on Friday for the Heartland Series which means driving as far away as Iowa and then back to Annapolis. We might just be a tad bit crazy… Luckily my family is coming to stay with the boys, so we won’t be dealing with whiny teens in the back seat. (I will give them credit – they did a great job on our whirlwind trip to St. Louis for Spring Break.)
Anyways, since today is a free day on Tuesdays on the Run, I decided I’d share some Dos and Don’ts of doing a road trip racecation.
Do:
- Pack all the snacks. Seriously. You never know how easy it will be to find what you want when you want it, especially after the race.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Before the race, it’s tempting to not drink enough in the car so that you can get there quickly. Don’t do it. The last thing you want to do is arrive in your race location already dehydrated. And on the way back? Hydrating properly means you’ll need to stop regularly, which leads me to the next “Do”.
- Stop and stretch and move around as often as your schedule will allow. There’s nothing worse than an 8 hour drive after a half marathon (or longer). Not only will you be sore and tight when you get out of the car, you will likely find that you will be sore for longer than normal.
- Wear compression. I personally prefer socks to sleeves for recovery because my feet swell in sleeves. But I put on compression socks for all of our long drives after races – even if I’m wearing shorts. Fashion be damned!
- Plan and pack for every weather condition. The beauty of driving is you usually have more room. I pack my planned outfit(s) and then add rain gear, tights or capris, and a long sleeve shirt. More than once I’ve ended up wearing layers that I hadn’t actually planned to run in.
Don’t:
- Schedule your race for the end of the racecation. Just don’t. While your vacation might make a great taper, you are also likely to have eaten different than normal. This can add some interesting moments to your race. I found this out the hard way in Missouri.
- Plan to be the driver after your race. That’s pretty much a recipe for stiffness. Sometimes you have no choice, but if you can convince someone else to be the designated driver, do it.
- Eat like you are road tripping. See the first don’t. It could have disastrous results.
- Forget your important run items. Make a checklist. Check it twice. Make sure your shoes match (yes, I have friends who’ve ended up at races with two left or two right shoes.)
What are your road trip tips? What’s the farthest you’ve driven for a race?
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I haven’t done a race on the road in a while! The furthest we have driven for a race was the Savannah RNR half – and that was a fun race! Lots of live music. these are great tips!!
Meliss recently posted…Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon Challenge Series Recap (2017)
The best part about a road trip racecation is that you can pack all the things! When Holly and I did Door County, I had a giant duffle bag and she had her little carry on. Funny thing is, we both had everything we needed! LOL
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…How to Prevent 8 of the Most Common Heat-Related Running Issues
My friend and I road-tripped to Tulsa for the Route 66 Marathon (November). It was a good 8-hour trek (not counting potty stops). The drive home AFTER the race was painful. We took turns driving, and stopped every couple of hours to switch seats and zombie-walk. You better believe there were compression socks involved LOL
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Can you say DOMS?
I used to put the race first, but lately I’ve been putting it last. It’s working for me — it gives me time to acclimate to the conditions of wherever I’m going to.
Of course it’s tempting to be way too active beforehand, but somehow, so far, it works for me. I think if it’s your first long race, then it’s probably not a good idea.
Totally agree on packing EVERYTHING. I hate weather forecasters & have had bad races partially due to the wrong outfit. Which is why I will be checking a bag on this upcoming racecation — put of course putting my outfit, shoes, rocktape, fuel, etc. etc. in my carryon!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…But does she win money?
If you’re going to a new place, don’t overdo the sightseeing, and kill your legs before the race. I tried really hard not to overdo things at Disneyland last year, but I still ended up with a knot in my calf the day before the race.
The older I get the more I prefer driving places than flying. Just wish I could convince my travel partners that driving is the way to go ..lol
I totally agree with racing first, getting it out of the way and then enjoying your vacation.
Most of my race-cations seem to be in a warm climate so I usually just bring a tank & skirt but always have throw-aways just in case.
Darlene recently posted…Steel Rail Half Marathon Race Recap
I haven’t done a driving racecation yet – for me the toughest thing about flying to a race is the packing. I would imagine road tripping would make that much easier!
Michelle @ Running with Attitude recently posted…Race Week Ambivalence
Yikes on the mismatched shoes – what a nightmare! Good advice on not running at the end of your racecation. I had to watch my eating this weekend in Denver — but that gave me an excuse to turn down some of my daughter’s stranger vegan options. 🙂
Coco recently posted…Running The Central Park Loop
Love these tips. I’ve only road-tripped to Michigan a couple of times, Minnesota for Twin Cities Marathon and to Cincinnati for the Flying Pig Series. All other race related travels have been by air. I do love having the luxury of having more space to bring stuff.
Marcia recently posted…Tower Triathlon Race Recap
I am road tripping to Buffalo for the half marathon so this advice couldn’t come at a more perfect time! I almost forgot about bringing snacks and keeping hydrated while in the car!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Goals for the Buffalo Half Marathon