Luke and I aren’t athletes. We aren’t jocks. We are travelers. More specifically, we are food travelers that really like beer and pie. So why would Luke and I wake up early on a precious Saturday morning to go run 3.1 miles? Because we want the following:
- To earn a guilt-free whatever-I-want meal
- An excuse to see a new place
- The physical ability to travel when we’re retired
Unfortunately, we can’t have our beer and drink it, too. Trust me, we’ve tried. It ended with us both overweight and tired. We’ve learned that if we want to travel to a new city, eat at the funky local restaurant, and drink at the chill local brewery, we have to first earn those privileges with exercise. In fact, you can blend travel, exercise, and delicious food into a delectable short-trip smoothie. Let us teach you how to go about Racing the Weekend.
Step 1: Find a race
“Race” is open to interpretation. It could be a traditional 5K, 10K, half marathon, (or for the nutter butters) an actual marathon. It could be a road bike race or a mountain bike race. Maybe you want to get a little extreme? It could be a Tough Mudder or a Spartan Race. It really doesn’t matter as long as you have a goal and you are moving. Hate running and sweating in general? Walk a 5K! It’s just as fun and is still great exercise.
Tip: If this type or distance of race is new to you, make sure you give yourself at least 2-3 months to train.
Once you decide what type of event you want to do, now you need to focus on the location. Of course, you can do races in your city. No travel required. Or, you could choose a race in a big city you’ve considered for a weekend getaway or a small town you’ve never explored. Since these types of events tend to start between 7:00-9:00 a.m., you should plan on limiting the distance from your house unless you intend to stay close to the event.
Some places to look
- https://runningintheusa.com/
- https://www.roadracerunner.com/
- https://usacycling.org/
- https://www.spartan.com/
- https://toughmudder.com/
Step 2: Train for your race
If you followed the tip in Step 1, you now have at least two months to train for your race. You’d better get cracking! I recommend a couch-to-5K or 10K plan, or that you do some research on how to prepare for the specific race you chose. Your fitness level will determine how long it will take you to train for your race.
Make a weekly training schedule and stick to it. For example, I used the Couch to 5K training plan from Regional Medical Center in Manchester, Iowa. It starts you off very slowly with 1 minute of walking and 1.5 minutes of jogging for 8 rounds. After 9 weeks of steady progression, I was able to run three miles without an issue. You can do it!
Step 3: Research your race location
Here comes the travel part. If your race is out of town, you will probably need accommodations. Find an affordable hotel or AirBnB/VRBO near the race starting line or in an area you want to explore after the race. If you like to camp, find a KOA or state campground nearby. Luke and I usually go the hotel route if it’s just us or AirBnB/VRBO if we’re with friends.
What about the glorious meal you’re going to enjoy after your Herculean race effort? After a race is no time for salads. You need hearty, warm, finger-licking, unhealthy food that gives you a giant pat on the back and says, “I’m proud of you. Have some more.” Research the best restaurants in the area with Tripadvisor, local travel bureaus, or on travel blogs. For a bonus, research the best ice cream, pie, or pastry shop in the area. You must replenish your body!
Do you have other sights to see or shopping to do? A few more searches will reveal other things to do in the area. For example, we are doing the Wizard Run in Des Moines, IA in August. Des Moines has a massive farmer’s market only a few blocks from the race finish line. I call that serendipity.
Tip: Find a buddy to Race the Weekend with you. Better yet, find an accountability-buddy. Someone to motivate you, cheer for you, and race right alongside you. This is a great activity for couples, friends, and families.
Step 4: Go, baby, go!
Complete your race, enjoy your post-race feast, explore a new place, and do it all over again! Luke and I have 5 races booked for 2023—with more to come.
