Combining travel with a running event is my all-time favorite activity. The excitement of jumping on a plane, my lucky running outfit carefully packed in my luggage, and heading for a new city/country to tackle an event. I am like a kid at Christmas!

The benefits of setting a goal like this are many and varied. The following sums up my personal reasons for investing time and money in such adventures.

1. Spurs your training on like nothing else!
As I write this article I am preparing for my annual pilgrimage to San Francisco to compete in the San Francisco Bay to Breakers. Work, family commitments, the deadline to write this article, could all easily distract me from preparing for this event. However, the desire to do well at this race pushes me out the door each day to run and/or hit the gym.

2. Transforms you from mere tourist to a part of the city
There is nothing like being in an event to connect with a city. On sharing a holiday to Sydney with a friend visiting from England a few years back, I was stumped when she asked me how to get from our city hotel to the famous "Bondi Beach." My usual route to this Aussie landmark is over a hilly but picturesque 14 km course each August when I compete in the Sydney "City to Surf." I feel I know this section of Sydney better than I know some parts of my own hometown. For me, this is the only way to get to Bondi!

3. Sheer Thrill
I am realistic enough to know that my ability as a runner will never be such that I will be called upon to represent my state or country in an event. But there was something quite thrilling when I saw my name in the list of competitors for last year's Bay to Breakers with the initials "AUS" for Australia next to them. I may have run slowly, but in some small way I had run for my country, and that was an amazing feeling!

So now I have you totally hooked on the idea of competing in an interstate or overseas event, there are a few nuisances (not problems!) that you will need to be aware of to ensure you have a memorable experience.

1. An unfamiliar course
For some this is an exciting prospect. New sights and landmarks to enjoy while you run can be a great distraction from the aches and pains in your legs. However, if you like to be a little better prepared, there are a number of options to familiarize yourself with a new course.

Study your race pack literature. This usually includes a detailed map of the course.

Check the event's Web site. This will often include a detailed description of the features of the course, i.e., the hills, the nature of the path, etc.

Ask those who have gone before. I have yet to meet a participant who cannot describe every twist, every turn of a previously run event. Use this first-hand knowledge to prepare yourself for an unknown course.

2. Different measurements
When I asked Marie Wickham of the New York Road Runners club what was the biggest challenge when she headed across the Atlantic for the London Marathon, she cited "Thinking in kilometers." I suffer from the same dilemma, but in reverse. I train in kilometers, I know my splits in kilometers so when I am at an event and they have mile markers I am at a loss. I don't know whether I am going too fast or too slow.

Whether you are like Marie and need to convert from miles to kilometers or like me and need to convert from kilometers to miles, the same hint applies, do the math before you run!

3. Time Zone Change
Depending on how far your are traveling for your event, it may be simply a matter of adjusting your sleep pattern slightly the week prior to departure to prepare for the time change. For Marie, preparing for the trip from New York to London, getting to bed slightly earlier for a few days before her flight made the arrival in the UK a little easier to bare.

For me, the 14+ hour flight from Melbourne to San Francisco later this spring will be toughed out by remaining awake and not going to bed until 10:00 pm California time the day I arrive, no napping. I need to get my body into the new time zone so I am ready to race a few days later.

4. Differing weather conditions
A quick check of the weather channel or weather Web site for the city of your event will prepare you mentally for what to expect weather-wise. Physically, your body may need more convincing, particularly if you are traveling across hemispheres.

The best hint I can offer is courtesy of a recent New York participant at the London Marathon, "Prepare for rain and hope for the best".

5. Travel time and jet lag
It's amazing how tiring just sitting on a plane can be! But it is important to allow for as much recovery time on arrival and before your event as your schedule will allow. At least two to three days should be sufficient to rest and prepare for the big event. The hard part here is not to be tempted to play tourist and try to fit in some sightseeing during this period. Allow for and remind yourself that that there will be time after the event for this. Don't forget, the event itself will provide ample opportunity for taking in the sights. John Ciccacia described the London Marathon course as the ideal tour through historic London. It didn't matter whether visiting participants could not fit in a stop at Buckingham Palace, as this quintessential London landmark served as the marathon's finish line.

These are just a couple of suggestions and ideas to keep in the back of your mind when preparing to travel overseas for an event. The best advise will be that which applies to any event, whether in your hometown or half a world away; do the training, be in good health, and, most importantly, be psyched to give it your best shot.

Good running and happy travels!

Packing Tips for the Traveling Runner or the Running Traveler

1. 1. Pack your running shoes in your carry-on bag; if your suitcase gets delayed, you still have your most important running accessory.


2. 2. Staying hydrated on your flight-don't rely on the attendants offers of water; pack a bottle or two in your carry-on luggage.


3. Don't forget to pack safety pins for your race number!

Thanks to the following contributors: Marie Wickham & Peter Ciaccia of New York Road Runners; Peter Trunfio and Dave Long of the New York City Hash House Harriers; Robert Hamilton-Jones.