I’ve been competing in Ironman triathlons, the place you swim 1.2 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles in in the future, for almost 10 years. Ironman races happen world wide and I’ve accomplished 13 of them, together with making my age group podium 9 instances and attending the Ironman World Championships in each Kona, Hawaii, and Good, France.
For each Ironman and shorter-distance triathlons, I find yourself taking greater than 30 flights a yr to compete. I wish to suppose I’ve gotten fairly good at dealing with the bumps alongside the way in which—together with how you can arrive at my vacation spot feeling as contemporary as potential. In actual fact, I wrote this text from an AirBnb in Good, France, as I ready to race within the 2024 Ironman World Championship.
And I’m not the one one who goes to vacation spot or trip races: Competitions all around the world see hundreds of individuals fly in. Greater than 4,600 athletes flew to London from the U.S. final yr to run the London Marathon, and greater than 650 individuals made the trek from Australia. The ladies’s Ironman World Championship had 65 nations represented this yr, with North American athletes making up 36% of the almost 1,500-athlete area.
Associated Tales
Clearly, a “racecation” is certainly a factor. However not like touring for a pure trip, touring to a race or competitors comes with a novel set of stressors: packing the fitting gear, sustaining your most popular food regimen, and guaranteeing your thoughts and physique are prepared for the day of the occasion. This may be troublesome when touring is already loads to handle bodily and mentally.
These are my prime journey suggestions for trip races, in an effort to take all the fitting steps to ensure you are as prepared as potential to hit the bottom working (actually) when you land.
1. Put on compressive garments
Whereas it might be tempting to put on your loosest, most pajama-like garments when taking a multi-hour journey, that outfit is not your best option for athletic efficiency.
As a substitute of free loungewear, go for compressive clothes, together with compression socks. Compressive clothes can stop muscle and joint swelling from journey and can assist with blood move, each of that are key to creating certain your physique feels nicely sufficient to compete. I discover that my ankles, calves, and hamstrings really feel a lot better getting off a flight after I’ve worn compression garments.
Two of my favourite gadgets are tall compression socks from CEP and leggings from compression apparel company 2XU. I put on each on almost each flight I take to a race, and as a bonus, each preserve me heat in these chilly airplane cabins.
2. Take self-care critically
A part of being able to compete is having headspace earlier than and throughout the massive day. A little bit little bit of self-care goes a good distance when touring to a contest. Feeling well-rested, mentally calm, and never coated in what I name “journey grease” could make all of the distinction.
I used to solely take tiny earbuds with me after I traveled, however most of these should not noise-canceling, so I’d be subjected to the background noise of others’ conversations, infants crying, or airplane employees attending to different passengers, all of which restricted my potential to sleep and loosen up en path to my vacation spot.
Now, I take noise-canceling headphones with me on each journey, particularly through aircraft. I personally use Sony-brand headphones, however any high quality noise-canceling headphones work. They’re an funding, with most within the $300 vary, however in case you are simply bothered by extraneous sounds, these will guarantee you will get into “race mode” with few distractions.
I additionally convey an eye fixed masks with me on each flight. I usually sit in an aisle seat which implies I do not need management over the window shade, so with the ability to cowl my eyes after I wish to get some shuteye is crucial. I take advantage of an eye fixed masks I bought throughout a flight improve, however I’ve additionally heard nice issues about Manta eye masks.
And simply since you are touring doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t preserve your most popular hygiene habits. Packing a small dental care package with a single-use toothbrush (I just like the Colgate Wisps), some floss, and airplane-sized mouthwash brings me numerous consolation. I additionally at all times pack just a few Klean Freak body wipes to provide myself a mini face scrub. The peppermint and tea tree scents make me really feel like I’m at a spa even after I’m truly sitting at a grubby airport gate!
3. Be considerate about hydration and diet
When touring for a contest, it’s unwise to vary up your food regimen an excessive amount of beforehand. The very last thing anybody desires is a abdomen ache or gastrointestinal misery earlier than or throughout their massive occasion.
I by no means plan on relying solely on the meals on the airport or on the aircraft—and even at my vacation spot! There are just a few merchandise I do know I want to pack in order that I get sufficient electrolytes, fiber, and protein earlier than my races.
- Skratch Labs individual hydration packets: I just like the merchandise from Skratch Labs—and even use them throughout my triathlons—as a result of they’re created from actual meals and aren’t too candy. I’ll pack upwards of 10 particular person packets to make use of on the aircraft and at my vacation spot in order that I can guarantee I get sufficient electrolytes earlier than a race.
- Polar Bottle or Bivo water bottles: Plan on packing your individual reusable water bottle so that you need not buy an over-priced single-use bottle on the airport. I like these as they’re pretty indestructible and preserve drinks moderately chilly.
- Precision Fuel & Hydration tablets: I additionally like Precision Gas & Hydration’s electrolyte tablets as a result of they’re extraordinarily mild on taste and are additionally effervescent, which could be a good change from ingesting a nonetheless water.
- Misfits protein bars: I’m extraordinarily explicit about protein bars as I hate the chalky aftertaste that so many go away you with. I like Misfits as a result of they’re satiating, not chalky, and are vegan, too. It doesn’t matter what protein bar fits your fancy, I like to recommend packing just a few in an effort to eat one thing that can fill you up as an alternative of counting on carbs and fat, which are typically extra frequent at airports and on planes.
- Dried fruit: Nobody actually likes to speak about this subject, however sustaining common bowel actions when touring may be extraordinarily aggravating—much more so when you could have an athletic occasion developing. I wish to convey some dried fruit with me after I journey for races as a result of the fiber in dried fruit typically helps preserve my journeys to the toilet common and is much less dangerous than taking a laxative. Simply ensure you don’t eat a complete bag of dried fruit in a single sitting—that may have the alternative impact.
4. Transfer every time potential
Touring may be tiring and it might be tempting to sit down every time a chair presents itself, however this may be your worst enemy on an extended journey for a trip race.
Staying seated for too long could cause your hip flexors, hamstrings, and low again to tighten and turn into stiff, which isn’t superb for any athletic endeavor.
Even when at an airport gate, stroll round and don’t be afraid to do some stretches or dynamic actions like lunges or squats earlier than boarding your flight. I do that on a regular basis, and whereas I’ll have gotten an odd look or two, only a few individuals discover or care.
After I take long-haul flights, I make it a precedence to stroll up and down the aircraft aisles just a few instances each couple of hours or so. I additionally do calf pumps at my seat (flex your feet down and up) to maintain the blood flowing by my decrease legs.
Some individuals take this to the subsequent stage and can even run up and down the airport terminals to maintain their pre-race prep on observe. If it floats your boat, go for it!
After all, ultimately settling down for some sleep or to eat is to be anticipated, however in between flights or whenever you’re feeling up for it, be certain motion stays a precedence.
5. Set your expectations accordingly
Pretty much as good as the following pointers could also be, there isn’t any technique to get round the truth that touring is tough on the physique and thoughts. There are such a lot of bodily and psychological stimuli that it may be laborious to tune all of them out, even for probably the most seasoned traveler.
When potential, I plan on arriving at my racecation vacation spot just a few days forward of my competitors in order that I can take a day to nap, get my bearings, and get again on observe with my diet and hydration plans.
And keep in mind: It’s regular to really feel not-so-great for a day or so after touring. Give your self grace and attempt to plan a nap and time for just a few good meals into your pre-competition schedule.
Apps like Calm or Headspace supply nice travel-related meditations to assist mitigate the exhaustion chances are you’ll really feel because of your journey. Moreover, they provide pretty bedtime tales that will help you go to sleep. I convey my mini white noise machine with me on each race journey I take. The machine makes any resort or AirBnb really feel somewhat extra like house.
There isn’t a technique to completely eradicate the consequences of journey in your psyche, muscle groups, and joints, however it’s fully potential to mitigate how drained and anxious you are feeling. With somewhat additional planning and care, you, too, can arrive at your vacation spot able to set your subsequent private greatest.
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