With the holidays rapidly approaching, many of us have travel on the horizon. And travel can wreak havoc on your training schedule! But by planning ahead, you can stay in step with your training- or choose to enjoy some downtime.

Move your schedule around

We get into a serious routine with training- Swim monday and thursday, run tuesday and friday, bike wednesday and saturday. But when traveling you may have to move some of those workouts around. When I went to Hawaii in the middle of 70.3 training, I swam in the morning before we went to the airport, planned my long run for early on a day I knew I’d be up early due to the time change, and put my break day on our long trip home. Planning ahead helped me get about 75% of my training in, which kept me from falling off track.

Pack for training

Of course you’re going to pack your running shoes, but are you taking your nutrition too? What about your body glide? Exercise bands? You may not be able to take your bike, but you can get the essentials in your suitcase- goggles and a cap don’t take up much room. Even if you don’t end up using them while you’re on the road, you’ll be glad to have them just in case.

Plan ahead

Research pools nearby, call the hotel to find out what kind of equipment they have in their workout facility, or see if you can rent a bike. Maybe there’s a spin studio nearby where you can take a class and work on that hill climb. You may have to be a bit creative to squeeze in your workouts, but that’s what’s great about triathlon- our sports are all pretty basic and readily available.

Find other ways to workout

When I hiked 2 hours into the Napali coast, I counted it as my 50 minute run. When I went snorkeling, I took it as an opportunity to practice open water sighting.  When I went kayaking with my husband, I worked on my arm and core strength. Staying active helps maintain the work you’ve done and provides lots of opportunities to practice skills needed in a trip while providing a welcome  mental break from your usual training.

Not a bad hike

Give yourself a break

You are on vacation, after all! Allow your muscles to heal from all the hard work you’ve put in. Enjoy the mental break from being on a constant swim-bike-run schedule. Eat a processed carbohydrate. Spend time with loved ones. Allow yourself to enjoy life, because when you’re a triathlete free time is all too rare, and it should be treated as a gift!