Running Abroad
Each year, you probably run countless marathons in and around your hometown, but the truth is that there is a world of great marathons and running excursions - literally! These runs abroad can generate money for charity, boost the hosting city's economy, or be an excuse for you to get away for a little while. Whatever the reason, spending time outside your element can be a refreshing change of pace.
The beauty of running abroad is that you can find marathons, small or large, just about anywhere. If you want to keep the travelling light, perhaps a quick excursion within 500 miles of your residence, you should have no problem finding a race. For example, the well-known and highly reputable Paris marathon occurs every April, drawing in thousands of outsiders from near and far.
Of course, if you are looking to feed your need to get away, there are plenty of marathons across the "pond". For instance, the Virginia Beach Running Festival hosts the Rock ‘n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon every year, attracting thousands of participants who are eager to put some miles under their feet and experience a classic American festivity. If you travel a little further north, there are the New York and ever-popular Boston Marathon, both great races to put under your belt.
Before you hop on the next outbound flight, though, do your research. While there are thousands of marathons in countries across the globe, each race presents its own set of obstacles and challenges. There may be varying altitudes; at one point, you may be a hundred feet below sea level, and then the next, you might be a thousand feet above it. If you were to run the San Francisco marathon, the vast array of rolling hills winding throughout the city may be more demanding than you trained for.
As with any race, you should be planning and training for that specific event long before it occurs. As mentioned above, each race will present its own set of terrain and, therefore, its challenges. Map the route and note any inclines, declines, or long barren landscape stretches. There may be a route in your hometown that can offer similarities. Remember that a marathon is usually 42 km, so you must be prepared to run that, regardless of the terrain.
Another key factor to remember is the weather, specifically climate. If your current residence is in Norway, you may not be used to the arid, dry environment presented by the Egyptian marathon. Or, for an Egyptian native, a marathon in Seattle (USA) may be a bit wetter than you expected since it gets rain regularly. The critical point to take away here is knowing what you are getting into before you do it.
Page Reference
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- MACKENZIE, B. (2014) Running Abroad [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article163.htm [Accessed