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Travelling to races? (Read 668 times)

    So my quick thought after looking over some of the race schedules I could find for my area...well how far do you typically go to find your races? I'm trying to find one that's the right distance that isn't too far away, and ended up with a little bit of trouble. So really I guess, how far do you normally go to get to one, and perhaps how far would you be Willling to go? -J


    ~J

    Wingz


    Professional Noob

      So far I've mainly gone within my local area... except for the time I wanted to race on a specific weekend and couldn't find anything closer than an hour and a half... or the time I wanted to do a *specific* race. Or... what was that other time? I forget. Blush I stayed overnight before a race once, but slept so poorly in the hotel I might as well have gotten up at 4:30 to drive there the morning of! I think if there was a specific race I really really wanted to run in I'd be willing to travel up to a full car day's drive (to me, 12 hours max!) to get there. At this point I'd not be interested in flying... just for the expense! I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where there's a race of some sort going on almost all the time! I don't much care for the "big city" of Raleigh, but the big population means there's a lot of races, so it's not all bad!

      Roads were made for journeys...

        I've traveled from NYC to Florida for a half-Ironman. I took several days on each side of the race to acclimate to the weather [before] and relax [after]. I think traveling for races is a great way to see "the world". I plan to run the Flora-London Marathon early in '07.


        You'll ruin your knees!

          Well, I live just outside of Dallas and I once planned to have business in NYC on Friday and Monday so I could be in town for the weekend of the NYC Marathon, I once drove to Kansas for a 50K, I have been to Fort Worth, Amarillo, San Antonio, Houston and Lubbock for marathons and then it got more serious. I flew to Denver and then drove to Sheridan, Wyoming (6 hours, nearly to Montana border) for a race in the Bighorn Mountains, I have flown to Richmond, VA and to Sacramento, CA for races... Heck, I'm not sure there is a distance too far...now where is that information on the stage race in the Himalayas... Lynn B

          ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)


          Dog-Love

            I f I am going to a meeting outside of my hometown here in AK, I look to see if there are any races that could work in my schedule. Last year I was able to do the Disney Half Marathon in Orlando because it took place the day after my meeting and I could run the race and then get back on a plane. That was not fun. In Alaska we are always looking for races outside of the area that offer something interesting (great course, good music etc) Once a year we will splurge and a group of us will get out of our town just to see sunshine, eat great food for low prices and get a change of scenery. Next year we are thinking of a Vancouver Island Marathon.
            Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)
              So far all of my races have been within 2 hours of home. I have spent the night in a hotel to avoid the early morning drive a couple of times. (Hey, I have 4 kids and if hubby and I can come up with an excuse to go to a hotel *alone*, I'm taking it! Wink ) Next year I'm hoping to travel a bit farther. I'm going 3 hours to run with Piper (Hey Piper! Smile ) for St. Patrick's Day. I'm looking at a few down in Florida as an excuse to visit friends and a HM in Colorado while we're there for a vacation. (Okay not exactly. The only reason we're going is because I want to do the race. I'll have to acclimate to the altitude and what better way to do that than to hang out in Estes Park for a week. Wink ) Now that I'm thinking there may be a marathon in my future, I going somewhere good for the first one. I was thinking "good" as in not in Indiana but dh keeps throwing out ideas like Hawaii or Italy. Working for me! Teresa
                So really I guess, how far do you normally go to get to one, and perhaps how far would you be Willling to go? -J
                If it's a 10K or less, only in the local area (Southern Nevada). If it's a half-marathon, generally I'll only drive a couple of hours (the exception is when the race is where our kids live, of course). For a marathon, I've driven 7-8 hours, and I'm always willing to fly to Boston. Big grin
                My Masters (>50) Race PR's: 5K - 20:17 10K - 42:36 HM - 1:31:22 Marathon - 3:20:48
                zoom-zoom


                rectumdamnnearkilledem

                  Next Summer I'm planning to do the Brat Trot in Sheboygan, WI with my brother. It's only a 4 mile race, but it's just a few hours from my folks (probably 6-7 hours away for us), so we're going to plan a family trip to NE WI around that race. Finishers get free brats! Big grin k

                  Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                  remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                       ~ Sarah Kay

                  Mile Collector


                  Abs of Flabs

                    I agree with Pron8r. The longer the distance, the farther I'm willing to travel. For 10 milers or less, I stick with races in my area. I am willing to drive up to 2 hours for anything between a half and full marathon. There is no travel restriction for the marathon because I do about 2 of those a year. If a race has two separate distances (e.g. a 5k and 5 miler), I would go for the longer because it's more bang for the buck Big grin


                    You'll ruin your knees!

                      If it's a 10K or less, only in the local area (Southern Nevada). If it's a half-marathon, generally I'll only drive a couple of hours (the exception is when the race is where our kids live, of course). For a marathon, I've driven 7-8 hours, and I'm always willing to fly to Boston. Big grin
                      ...oooh, yes, I could probably be talked into travelling to Boston for a certain race...even on the roads! I like the destination races...I targeted a mountain race, so I went to Wyoming. I wanted to experience the Eastern trails, so I went to Virginia. Focus is somewhere West next time...Western States if I get in. Lynn B

                      ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

                      Trent


                      Good Bad & The Monkey

                        I generally only travel for marathon distance runs. If I am somewhere that has a shorter run, I may run it. But I only make a special trip for the marathon. Given family and work, I tend to stay in my region or try to double up (i.e., run a marathon where I can also accomplish something else, such as a meeting or work-related stuff).