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Runners know that training for a race is hard work, often with little wiggle room (depending on your goals). A rigorous training program with a clear-cut date is an exciting challenge, but training over long periods of time can become tedious and lead to injury and burnout.
Enter: the runcation (run-cay-shun). Non-runners will scoff—why would you go on vacation centered on running?—but since runners are already working runs into their vacations, we might as well make a whole trip of it.
Runcation companies are growing—there’s Elyse Kopecky’s (co-author of Run Fast. Eat Slow) running and nourishment retreats, Run Wild Retreats, and the aptly named Runcation Travel to name a few, which offer group trips in stunning locales. A British travel report, Accor, found that there was a 50 percent increase in searches for “workout holidays” over the past year.
Whether you decide to book a guided trip or create your own itinerary, this is why your next vacation should be a runcation.
Running for Joy, Not a PR
Vacation doesn’t mean a break from running. Often, we run as a break from life. But if you’re feeling burnt out or coming off of an intense training cycle, a runcation can keep your fitness in check through easy, no-pressure mileage.
Many runcation destinations are for trail-lovers—picturesque Chamonix, Utah, Switzerland—which means, especially if you’re a road runner, the pace will be slower and the elevation gain will be much, much higher. But fear not, road runners: even a small change, like pace adjustment, terrain, or scenery, can inject some excitement into what may have been monotonous running.
Marathoner and teacher Rebecca Cotugno, 38, has done two runcations through Bluesky Trekking and Mercuria Running. “They’re a fun way to make running feel exciting if you’re used to doing the same routes. They’re also a great way to meet new running friends.”
While you’re on vacation, run, or otherwise, the goal should be enjoyment, and if you’re traveling without kids, relaxation. That means appreciating what the local venue has to offer and not forcing yourself into a workout, and the beauty of runcations is that the running part is built in.
Runcations vs. Racecations
Plenty of runners turn races into vacations, but the focus, then, is the race, which means you’ll want to be off your feet beforehand and be wary of new foods. Runcations “are more low-key in many ways…I wasn’t worried about trying new foods in Spain or taking a detour to scramble up a peak,” Cotugno says. “My glutes were sore the next day, but I wasn’t trying to PR.”
Meet New People & Connect With Community
If you’re booking a runcation trip with a company, you’ll meet a group of people right off the bat who have the same interests. These trips are designed for groups and typically account for various paces, ensuring everyone has someone to run with.
And because all participants share a love of running, you’ve got easy icebreakers: Have you run a marathon? Where do you train? What shoes do you prefer? Even if you don’t find other common ground, running talk can be endless.
“I don’t have many friends interested or willing to [run and visit the mountains] so a trip was a great way to have people to do it with,” Cotugno says.
For Cotugno, a seasoned runner, she didn’t find the running particularly challenging, but “joining a group of strangers to do it was.” She’s made lasting friends.
If you’re traveling solo and creating your own itinerary, a great way to meet people (if that’s your jam) is to visit a local running shop or, let’s be honest, a coffee shop. Staffers at these places might also have recommendations for running routes.
Built-in Active Time
When you plan a trip around running, your daily steps, miles, and movement aren’t getting crammed in between scheduled activities or carefully orchestrated during kids’ nap times, like during a regular vacation or a typical work week.
In terms of logistics, Cotugno prefers an organized trip over planning it herself. Not only did someone plan the routes for her, but the organizers also took care of all of the seemingly hellish logistics of hotels and navigating remote Spanish mountain towns.
With that daily activity comes the fun part of refueling with a new cuisine. Food is such an integral part of immersing yourself in a local culture, and there’s no question that runners love to eat. Dining on vacation, similarly to the holiday season, is also an effective way to truly nourish your body, which is essential to proper recovery.
The Mental and Physical Benefits of a Runcation
Vacations, at their core, are supposed to refresh you for the responsibilities you have waiting at home. Runcations should do that, too. But they should also help you refresh and reset your training and your mindset around running.
There’s no question that overtraining can lead to burnout (and injury and decreased performance, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery). To sidestep injury and avoid losing the joy you have for running, taking breaks or changing up your training routine can be a breath of fresh air, and that includes a runcation.
Depending on your locale, scenic runs with breathtaking backdrops, or, merely just different trails, tracks, or roads, can shake up any staleness you’ve felt at home.
A runcation isn’t about chasing splits or PRs—it’s about rediscovering the joy of running in new places. Pack your shoes, pick a destination, and let the miles take care of themselves.
