How to Plan a Marathon Trip Abroad - The Complete Guide

How to Plan a Marathon Trip Abroad - The Complete Guide

My first trip to the Chicago Marathon cost me more than I expected. Not financially - energetically and mentally. The hotel with the "great price" was over an hour from the city centre. First an irregular bus with up to 30 minutes of waiting, then a connection and 45 minutes on the metro. For three days before the race I explored the city from morning to evening without restraint. Over 30,000 steps a day, my legs were taking a serious beating. By the time I reached the start line, I was anything but fresh.

That experience taught me more than any running manual ever could.

Today I plan differently. After 57 marathons on four continents, I know that a marathon abroad is not a regular trip with some running on the side. It's a precisely planned operation where every decision - from choosing the hotel to the sightseeing schedule - affects how you feel at the start line and later at kilometre 35.

Here's how to do it right.

Step 1 - Start Planning a Year in Advance (or earlier)

Most runners start planning their races too late. Good hotels near the expo, the start or the finish sell out within days or weeks of registration opening. Race entries for prestigious events - Tokyo, Boston, Rome, Amsterdam or New York - disappear even faster or require a lottery.

My rule: I make decisions about my race calendar a year before the event, sometimes earlier. The first thing I do is set my priorities for the following year. I choose the two most important races - the ones where I'll be chasing a personal best or qualifying for other events. Only then do I look for races in countries and cities I haven't visited yet, or events I've always dreamed of running.

That's how I build my race calendar. Deliberately.

What to do a year out:

• Register for the race or enter the lottery.
• Book your hotel - the earlier, the better the location and most likely the price.
• Buy flexible flight tickets (refundable fares or with the option to change dates) - they cost more, but they give you a safety valve.

Step 2 - Your Hotel Is Not a Cost. It's an Investment in Your Result.

After hundreds of conversations with fellow runners and browsing online forums, I've noticed a pattern. Runners very often treat the hotel as a cost to cut. That's a mistake that can seriously damage both your result and the whole experience of the trip.

In Riga I booked a hotel 70 metres from the start line. I woke up at a normal hour, had a relaxed breakfast, and because it was raining I stayed warm in the hotel lobby until the last moment. In Chicago I spent over 90 minutes getting to the start. I had to be up five hours before the gun. That's not how a well-planned trip should look. On race day it was a fight for survival.

What to look for in a marathon hotel:

Location - maximum 15-20 minutes on foot from the start, or with a direct transport connection. No connections on race day - the exception being a well-organised metro system.

Early breakfast - restaurant open from 5:00-6:00am. Sounds extreme? Most marathons start at 8:00-9:00am, and you should eat no more than two to three hours before the gun.

Early check-in - you land early in the morning and don't want to wait for your room until 4:00pm. Late check-out - after the race you're almost always returning after the standard checkout time. You want a shower and a moment to breathe. Yes, sometimes you fly home the same day as the race.

Luggage storage - if a late checkout isn't possible, a secure place to leave your bags is essential.

Kit washing or drying - after the race you have sweat-soaked running gear. A good hotel will have a laundry with a dryer.

After 25 years in hotel management, I know one thing: a hotel that understands runners' needs is not an accident. It's a matter of asking the right questions well in advance.

Step 3 - Flights: Flexibility Over Price

Cheap flights are tempting. Sometimes you have no choice and you fly budget. But a flight with three connections the day before a marathon is the shortest road to disaster.

My rules:

Arrive at least two days before the race - one day to adjust to the time zone, one for calm race preparation and the expo. On that note - if you're planning to shop at the expo, try to go on the first day. My last few races have taught me that by day two or three, the branded merchandise only comes in XXL.

Direct flights or maximum one connection.

Don't save on baggage - don't pack everything into a backpack. Check whether your race kit, race shoes and gels fit in your hand luggage (bring your own gels, don't count on the expo - I've been to plenty of expos that had no gels at all, or no expo at all). A suitcase can get lost. Your race kit cannot.

Travel insurance covering cancellation costs - an injury or illness before the race can derail your plans at the last minute. I missed the Boston Marathon myself due to an injury.

Step 4 - Sightseeing Plan: Less Is More

This was my second biggest mistake before important races. I would arrive in a new city and want to see everything. Museums, neighbourhoods, restaurants, landmarks. 30,000 steps a day for three days. On the start line - legs with nothing left.

My second trip to New York was completely different. I moved the main attractions to the days after the race. Before the race - just one relaxed bus trip to Washington and Philadelphia. The effect was immediate: significantly better energy at the start and, finally, a race where I felt considerably better than the year before.

Rules I recommend following:

3+ days before the race: maximum 10,000 steps per day.

If you can - plan the main sights for the days after the race. Then you can do everything, you have a medal around your neck and a reason to celebrate.

Coach tours instead of walking tours - you see the city without destroying your legs. The Hop On Hop Off bus, popular all over the world, is genuinely a great solution.

A new city tastes best when the finish line is already behind you.

Step 5 - Race Eve: Stillness as Your Secret Strategy

I used to spend the day before a marathon actively. Now I know that's not the best approach.

My race eve protocol:

Food - carb loading, but no experiments. Familiar meals, tested products. You don't try the local cuisine the night before a race. Toast, jam, scrambled eggs. If you've been carb loading already - for me three slices of toast and two eggs is enough. Use your own tried and tested methods.

Movement - maximum 10 minutes or two kilometres of easy jogging, or a short walk. Just enough to keep your muscles fresh in the morning.

Logistics - race number, chip, kit, gels, shoes - prepare everything the evening before. No surprises in the morning. Always follow this rule. You know that at the Luxembourg marathon I forgot my race number? And that was my 55th marathon.

Mental - meditation, breathing, visualising the course. The mind needs to be calm to effectively manage your entire system - body and processes. For years I ignored this element. It was yoga and meditation - which I discovered and fell in love with in India - that taught me that mental stillness is an invaluable and underrated asset at the start line.

Sleep - go to bed earlier than usual. Even if you don't fall asleep immediately - you're lying down, resting, conserving energy.

Step 6 - Pack Only What You Need

On my early trips I packed more - just in case, to be safe. Now I know that excess clothing is unnecessary weight and chaos in your suitcase.

The essentials:

Race kit (one set + one or two spares for training runs and changeable weather) - ideally in hand luggage.

Race shoes + comfortable shoes for sightseeing.

Gels, isotonic drinks, products you use in training - don't experiment with the local sports shop and don't count on the expo.

Documents, insurance, phone and power bank.

First aid kit: blister plasters, painkiller, something for your stomach, anti-chafe balm.

Mobile internet - your own roaming or a SIM card. I most often use an eSIM or a local SIM bought at the airport.

Everything else is a luxury. The hotel has towels. Shops are everywhere. Your result depends on your legs and your head - not on how many items of clothing are in your suitcase.

Summary: A Marathon Abroad Is a Project, Not a Holiday

The best marathon trips I've had share one thing: they were planned precisely and well in advance. What has given me the most is the experience accumulated across successive trips.

Booking a hotel near the start, flexible flights, a calm sightseeing plan, a race eve ritual - each of these elements can influence your result at the finish line and your overall experience of the trip. Together with a completed training plan, they are the final polish on which you build your race.

The marathon will be demanding regardless. Whatever your pace, your body will burn several thousand calories. Don't make things harder before you even reach the start.

If you need help planning - from the hotel to the transfer to the start line - check out 42RunTravel packages or get in touch directly.

Follow my preparation on Strava - most of the marathons you'll find in the offer, I've already run myself.