How to Keep Running While Travelling (Without Overcomplicating It)

If you’ve ever tried to keep running while travelling, you’ll know it rarely sits in the middle.

You either go away with every intention of doing it properly – trainers packed, vague plan in your head, maybe even a quiet promise to yourself that this will be the holiday you stay consistent…

or you do none of it at all.

And it’s usually not because running itself is difficult.

It’s because everything around it becomes just that little bit harder.

You don’t know the area. You’re out of routine. The day isn’t structured in the same way. You’ve got kids with you, or people around, or things planned.

And suddenly something that normally feels straightforward starts to feel like effort.

So it drops. Not dramatically. Just quietly.

It has to fit the version of life you’re in

Running on holiday only really works when it stops being something you’re trying to “keep up”… and starts being something that fits the version of life you’re actually in.

Not your normal routine.

Not your ideal plan.

Just something that works there.

Because the more it feels like something separate you have to organise, the less likely it is to happen.

Remove the thinking before you even leave

For me, the biggest shift was removing the expectation before I even left.

I used to pack like someone who was about to have a very productive week. Multiple outfits, options, a loose structure in my head.

And all it really did was create more decisions, more pressure, more ways to not quite follow through.

Now it’s one set of running things.

You wear it, rinse it, wear it again.

It sounds basic, but it removes that layer of “I’ll decide later,” which is often where it falls apart. I talk about this more in The Active Mum’s guide to seeing the world too.

Give yourself a starting point, not a perfect plan

The same applies to where you run.

If you land somewhere new and have to figure everything out from scratch, it becomes another barrier.

So I’ll usually do a quick check before we go. Sometimes hotels have their own run clubs, or there’s something local nearby. A quick Google search or even emailing ahead gives you a starting point.

And if not, something like Komoot is useful just to map out a simple route so you’re not stood outside wondering which way to go.

You don’t need a perfect route. Just one that gets you out the door.

It’s still possible with kids (just not in the same way)

This is usually the point where people write it off completely.

But it doesn’t have to stop.

A running buggy is one option – something like a Hauck folds down easily, and most airlines will let you take it as part of your child allowance.

Or you split it. One of you runs, one of you stays, then swap.

Or you head out together and just run on a bit further before looping back.

It won’t look like your normal run. But it doesn’t need to.

Let it become part of the place

This is where it starts to feel good again.

When you stop treating it like a workout and start using it as a way to explore.

Run to the bakery. Run for a coffee. Run along the coast just to see where it goes.

Stop if you want to. Sit down. Take it in.

That’s usually the point where it stops feeling like effort and starts feeling like part of the trip.

Being outside does more than you think

There’s something about running somewhere new that just lands differently.

And it’s not just in your head.

There’s a lot of research showing that being outdoors – especially in natural environments – improves mood, reduces stress, and boosts energy.

So even a short run on holiday tends to give you more than the same run at home. It becomes less about exercise and more about how you feel afterwards.

Keep it simple enough to repeat

Safety-wise, most places are simpler than they feel at first.

Ask the hotel where people usually run. Stick to well-used routes. Go early when others are out. Share your location if you’re unsure.

In Lanzarote, I ended up running the same route most days. It looped around the hotel, followed the coastline, clearly marked, always busy enough to feel comfortable.

Nothing complicated. Just easy to repeat.

Early mornings make it easier

Even if you don’t consider yourself a morning person, this is often the easiest window. It gets it done, sets you up for the day and let’s face it, ain’t nobody got time for going out for a run after 15 cocktails and an ultra-competitive lilo race is already underway.

There’s a quietness to it before the day starts, and you’ll usually find you’re not the only one out. And this is the beautiful thing, actually. Even on holiday there’s a community of runners so you’re not really alone.

It doesn’t need to be every day. Just enough to give you a bit of space that’s yours.

You can build this into your holidays over time

If you want to lean into it more, there are entire holidays built around this now.

Running retreats, active travel companies, trips where movement is part of the structure rather than something you have to think about.

And over time, this is something you can start choosing more intentionally.

There’s been a big rise in wellness travel – the Global Wellness Institute has highlighted how more people are choosing holidays based on how they want to feel, not just where they want to go. It’s become easier to curate experiences that cater for active mums and families on holiday, so you don’t even have to think about it.

But when you break it down, the benefits are usually simple.

You’re outside more. You’re moving more. There’s less friction.

That’s it.

Make it easy enough that you don’t opt out

If you strip all of this back, this is the bit that matters.

Make it easy enough that you don’t talk yourself out of it.

Not perfect. Not structured. Not every day.

Just doable.

Because when it feels simple, it tends to happen.

And this, actually, is a truth whether you’re on holiday or at home. The more simple you keep it, the easier this all becomes. I wrote a piece on 5 systems that make an active life possible which you might want to check out!

A final thought

Running while travelling doesn’t need to look like your normal routine.

It just needs to exist in some form.

A couple of runs across the week. A different route. A quiet coffee on your own afterwards.

That’s enough.

You’re not trying to prove anything.

You’re just staying connected to something that makes you feel like yourself.

Run a bit. Explore more. And, as always… do fun shit.

---

You might want to check these next:

How to stay active on holiday with kids

The Active Mum’s guide to Travelling without giving up movement

10 Lowkey ways to make running fun