I will be travelling for work next Monday-Friday. A long drive home on Friday afternoon/evening with a Sunday race. The race is a sprint distance duathlon that is a pretty important (B) race. I will have my running shoes, bike (and trainer in case local roads don’t seem that great). The hotel has a pool so I could get an easy recovery swim in one or two days (although not really a workout as it is a hotel pool, but not too much of a concern as the race is a duathlon). So I am looking for workout and nutrition advice from those who travel frequently.
So I leave Monday, will probably get a short run in before I hit the road. I usually take Fridays off when racing Sunday. Should I maybe get a short run in Friday morning if I am going to be working that morning and then driving 6+ hours that evening? I don’t want to wake up Saturday feeling like hell.
How about during the week, some race week taper run advice and bike workouts (for the trainer)? Since I won’t have my local roads, nice treadmill, etc. I need good race week workouts that are easy to do anywhere.
How about eating? I am not a fast food person. Any suggestions on easy to transport food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated? Clif bars, PBJ, some fruit. I don’t mind eating out for lunch or dinner but would like to avoid doing both as I don’t want my nutrition to go to sh!t and put on weight and feel sluggish the week before a race.
Food wise, I usually pack my breakfast for the week and a couple of bars for the road. I’ll measure out 4-5 days of cereal (Kashi go lean or similar), throw a few Lara and/or Clif bars in for good measure then I know I have something good to get me through the week. Then I’ll score NF milk (or even Soy if I’m lucky) and be set. I usually have the bars as an afternoon snack.
When eating out, I try to avoid the heavy fatty meals and focus on the grilled lean meats with grains & veggies (which you can find at even places like Chili’s, Olive Garden, etc.)
Plus, since you’re driving you don’t need to travel as light even. A little planning ahead and you’ll be in great shape.
Thanks, breakfast should be fine. May even take the toaster with my so I can have my flax waffles and peanut butter every morning like usual. Assuming I do dinner out each night I need some options for lunch I suppose. Probably bring apples, canned pineapple and clif bars like you said.
First, I’m no coach, but I have adapted to the traveling/training gig over the past three years (I’m on the road about 30 weeks out of the year). I feel your pain as I’m traveling next week, heading home to pack my gear and then flying to Florida 70.3. My advice is to keep it simple. You’ve (presumably) already done your training and have your base and build. This last week is about the taper. Take as little gear as you feel comfortable with. If you miss your last bike ride because you left your trainer at home, it probably won’t affect your race day performance (maybe do an extra ride before you leave instead of a run). I typically focus on running and finding a pool to swim (most hotel pools are too small for proper workouts). FWIW, my plan next week is to focus on running, swimming, stretching, eating and sleeping - the last three are probably the most important at this point. When you’re on the road, all of those things take more effort than when you’re at home.
Put in the extra effort to find good food. I have to do the gluten free thing which makes it more of a challenge, but there are ways around it. Sounds like you’re driving, so take as much as you can with you. If you don’t have a fridge in your room, take a cooler and they should have an ice-maker. Be sure to get your sleep. I pack ear plugs, but rarely use them. When you do need them, they are a invaluable.
Put in a couple of short runs (bike if you take it) at easy effort. Again, it takes extra effort to get out the door, but really makes you feel great and keeps things as normal as possible. I wouldn’t worry about doing anything on Friday, but do a really short run and bike when you get home on Saturday (don’t forget a recovery drink immediately afterwards).
Maybe stop a couple of times on your drive home to stretch. That much car time kills me!
Great question…and like rth, I travel about 1/2 the year.
first of all, consider it wonderful that you can take your bike and trainer…I fly a lot of places (am currently in Alaska), and taking a bike + trainer won’t work for me, so I have to find gyms with spin bikes or lifecycles (or just focus on running and swimming). Running can be done almost anywhere…treadmill at the hotel, or find a road somewhere…ask around. I have been very fortunate to find pools, even in smaller towns…google the place you are going.
Where are you going, btw?
as for pre-race prep…I think what I would do is a short run on Sat. a.m. after you wake up…to get the legs moving again. (but then, I do a short run on the day before most any race, with a few pickups.)
Food…since you are driving, that helps with being able to bring some of your own stuff. I usually hit a grocery store as soon as I get to a work location and buy things like: fruit, carrots, tuna packets (single serve–no drainage required), nuts, water, yogurt, soups, etc. My job doesn’t require me to go out to dinner afterwards, so I can eat what I choose, and try to make healthy choices. Having a fridge and microwave in the hotel is super helpful. (where I’m at now doesn’t have one, and so I’m more limited for dinner options–I have Lean pockets in the freezer at work for lunch, and have tuna for dinner.