Don’t Race Every Race, Take a Runcation: A Running Vacation

Run For Fun: Take a ‘Runcation’, a Running Vacation

 

A few weeks ago, I flew to Gothenburg, Sweden, to run the world’s largest half-marathon—the Göteborgsvarvet —with over 63,000 participants! A month earlier, I had run the Boston Marathon, and while my legs had mostly forgiven me, the Göteborgsvarvet wasn’t a “go hard or go home” kind of race. This time, I was there for something else: fun, travel, and friendship.

A running vacation of sorts, also known as a runcation.

We decided that we would stay together for this race, taking in the energy of the crowd, the music, the scenery, and the sheer magic of being part of something that massive. No pace goals. No chasing a PR. Just pure enjoyment and the freedom that comes with letting go of expectations.

Despite this relaxed approach, my friend was able to run the half marathon at her best time. The best part, she enjoyed it! Something that hasn’t always been the case in the past.

 

A Running Vacation or Runcation

 

For us, this experience was, in a word, a runcation—a beautiful mashup of running and vacation. It’s something I’ve decided to start to prioritize more often: choosing events in places I want to explore. Then, weaving in travel, food, sightseeing, and friendships around the race.

It turns the event into something more than just a test of fitness. It becomes a celebration of it.

But here’s the truth: I still struggle a bit with the idea of not racing every race I sign up for. If I’m wearing a bib, surely I have to go all out. right? Best effort. Prove something. Hit a time goal. Beat my last result. Otherwise… what’s the point?

Turns out, this was the point – a running vacation complete with laughing mid-race at an aid station mishap, chatting through the final miles, and crossing the finish line with a high five and a hug. The point was remembering that being fit enough to run a half marathon for fun is something to be grateful for, not wasted.

 

How a Runcation Allows You to Enjoy Running Again

 

There’s nothing wrong with having goals. I still love chasing my best, putting together a race plan, and giving everything I’ve got on the day. But EVERY race doesn’t need to be that.

Sometimes, it’s just as important to give yourself permission to not go all out. To use an event as a checkpoint in your training, a joyful detour, or a chance to support a friend. To run for the love of running.

Runcations can help us reconnect with why we started this sport in the first place. A running vacation is a great reminder that joy, travel, camaraderie, and adventure can be reasons enough to pin on a bib. They can help bring some balance to your training, taking away pressure and performance demands that can be draining, a wonderful antidote to burnout in the sports you love.

 

 

 

Where to Spend Your Next Running Vacation

 

So, whether you want to check out the Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon, book a guided trip with a company like Runcation Travel, or visit Coach Matt Fitzgerald at Dream Run Camp in Arizona, you can run for fun!

Next time you see a race in a beautiful place, consider signing up—not to prove something, but to experience a running vacation. You might be surprised by how much it fills your cup. I know mine is full after my recent experience in Sweden!  Because no, it’s not a waste to do a race for fun. It’s a win of a different kind.

Want more coaching advice or a training plan? Reach out to me through my 80/20 Endurance Contact Page, and let’s chat!

-Coach Leyla Porteous