[twitter]Do you run on vacation?

If not, you need to – pronto. Wherever your next vacation is, have a poke around the interwebs and see if there’s a 5k, 10k, or some other fun event you can take part in while you’re on the road.

My racing with Team Diabetes has taken me all over the planet. I’ve run races in Iceland, Brazil, and Easter Island. That sort of adventure travel has led me to seek out races whenever I’m in shape and on the road.


I’ve run an 8k race in New York’s Central Park at midnight. I’ve run a 10k along the lakeshore in Chicago. I’ve run a 10k down the rockies just outside Denver, Colorado. I’ve run a race in Bangkok, Thailand. This weekend, I added to my international resume with a 10k in Whitefish, Montana.

Actually, this weekend’s race was an accident. I got up early to run my 10k as part of training for the Reykjavik Half Marathon with Team Diabetes next month, and when I got to the bottom of Big Mountain, there was a sign saying “Watch For Runners On Road.”

Whitefish Race June 30, 2012” and saw the Whitefish Lake Run was happening that morning. 90 minutes later I was a late registrant with a number and at the start line.

Active.com is the first website you should check out to find a comprehensive list of events around North America. Failing that, just try Googling around with the distance, date, and city you’ll be in.

Running a race while on vacation is a great way to get off the tourist track and see different parts of the city. If you’re worried about carrying stinky clothes the rest of your vacation, that’s what ziploc bags are for.