Would you travel to a race for a half-marathon (or shorter)

[tri princess]

OK. It let me vote after I submitted my post.

[MINITEE]

I enjoy travel and running/racing (non-competitively of course ) so I try to combine the two.

Last year I went to New Orleans to run the half, but I turned it into a week long trip back home to see the city through runners eyes. I also spent the remaining of the trip doing touristy things, hanging out & working on a re-build project. If I had run a full - probably would have impeded some of my plans for the week. I also went to Alberta to run Blackfoot a couple of years ago.. again - I incorporated the race into a bigger trip.

I completely believe in travel for races... the half is my minimal that I would specifically travel for as as it doesn't take enough out of me that I can't enjoy the rest of my time wherever I am. .

Now, if I was traveling somewhere for recreation & happened to find a smaller race that was going on while I was there - would I consider doing the race?

You bet your britches I would!

[Stella]

I voted Absolutley. I do it every year I can for the Cabot Trail Relay and I'm thinking about doing the Not Since Moses before too long too.

Running has taken me to many places, and not once I have I regretted it.

[Jo-Jo]

I voted Absolutley. I do it every year I can for the Cabot Trail Relay and I'm thinking about doing the Not Since Moses before too long too.

Running has taken me to many places, and not once I have I regretted it.

Yep...Not Since Moses is on my radar too...actually it's on my next destination race list after Vancouver...so who knows...maybe 2010

Oh yeah...I ran CTRR 2006...first time I'd got on a plane in about a decade. And I flew somewhere to run a relay with a bunch of people I only knew from the Internet

[anners]

We're actually of the opposite thought in our house. We prefer to travel for a half marathon or less because then the vacation isn't so impeded by the race. Dh really wants to go back to Vegas because we went for the marathon a few years ago and he feels he didn't get to enjoy it because he had to watch what he ate, how much he walked, and limit alcohol consumption. I feel the same about Penticton. I went twice last year, once for a training weekend and once for Ironman. I don't feel like either of those were vacations because I had to be so careful about everything. I answered Yes, if there is some other reason to be there. We are going to Australia this year and will do the half at the World Masters Games. I would never go all the way there for a half marathon but it was a great excuse to finally plan a trip to Australia.

Ditto here. okay, DH doesn't run, but it is more fun for him if I can walk properly the day after the race

[Jo-Jo]

Some more thoughts here...
As I've said to many friends..."the halfM is a lovely distance". I can run a HalfM in the morning...go for a lovely lunch and just hang out in the afternoon....maybe even go to an Art Gallery or two... "

Dh is not a runner...he willingly came with me when I ran the Niagara HalfM in October because he knew the entire weekend would not be taken up with a "da@# race"

[pamelaB]

I definitely would! In fact, I am. I'm doing the Reykjavik Half in August 2010. Granted, we're turning it into a vacation at the same time, but it was the race that got my attention.

I would rather do a half after travelling for a crazy number of hours than a full.

[Jwolf]

Interesting answers. Most seem to be in line with my thoughts-- travel for the right race, and travelling for something other than a marathon is actually less stressful.

Last year a good friend of mine and I planned to travel for a 15K race. I didn't end up racing for various reasons, but I would travel for that race again some time.

[moof324]

Umm, planning to go to Disneyland in September for the 1/2 Marathon, then follow-up with a weeks holiday

Me too, next year.

I would, if there were a compelling reason to go--i.e. something more than "that looks like an interesting race." Disneyland, my compelling reasons are a) coast-to-coast challenge and b) (most important), TONS of friends in LA and Orange County/San Diego that I haven't seen since I graduated law school 3 years ago. My limiter right now is fund$, unfortunately. If DH wasn't still in school and both of us were working, I'd have an easier time justifying travel for a half or shorter race.

[moof324]

I voted yes.
I did say in the Disney thread I wouldn't travel there for a HalfM...but that's because I really have no desire to go to Florida or Disney World generally...if I'm going to go there I wanna come home with a bunch of medals

Does that mean you're coming for GOOFY??? (3 medals...all shiny and beautiful!)

[/end hijack]

[runcherylrun]

I love to travel too - running has literally taken me all over the world.

Part of it is the feeling of accomplishment in achiving a goal - but a huge part of it is the people.

It's the people that drew me to a little 10k race in Kingston
and a 50k in Edmonton.

Heck I'm going to fly half way across country in May for a race I'm NOT even running in.

So distance doesn't make a difference to me.

[Jwolf]

Heck I'm going to fly half way across country in May for a race I'm NOT even running in.

[IronColl]

I have come to your beautiful city to waddle through a 10km. It was on my list of races that I wanted to do. Another one is Bloomsday, which is 12km.

[garth]

Tomorrow we are getting up at 5:30 am and driving 2 1/2 hrs and into another country to run a 10 k race.

I have driven 3.5 hrs for a 5k so I guess the answer is yes

[NewFinnLoper]

Ha!...I flew from Winnipeg to Fort Lauderdale to run a 5km race...Endurox lived there so that made it easier, but if the race was important enough to me I wouldn't hesitate to travel for even a 10 km...

[eljeffe]

I am doing the Seattle Rock and Roll Half in July (downgraded from the full at my coach's suggestion). I have also done the regular Seattle half as well as Vegas and Victoria in past. I don't think I will bother traveling for any more after the Seattle Rock and Roll race though.

[Jogger Barbie]

Okay, I voted "Yes, but only if there were another reason to travel in the first place", based on the idea that "travel" means "going somewhere overnight", because that's the closest to what we actually do.

Any time DH and I have travelled out of Toronto to do a race (with the exception of Boston), it's been some combination of the race itself, socializing, and a family visit. We go to Kingston every year to run the half marathon or 5 K with our friends, just because it's a fun time. We went to Ottawa to run twice because aside from the timing being convenient, DH's parents live there. We did the Wolfe Island 10 K this year because it happened to be the same weekend that family from Vancouver were visiting Kingston. This October we plan to travel to the PEC marathon, partly because friends had the same idea and now by default it's a race and socialize weekend. I'm not sure when it will happen that we travel somewhere "just to run"

[Sir Crashalot]

Yup!
Ottawa seems to be my destination of choice of recent times
Army Run 5km
The Canadian Sprint Duathlon
a couple of OBC cyclocross races

Burlington, VT 1997
Vermont City Marathon Relay team... didn't bother training back then either

[barebuns1]

I don't think I would travel to an event if it was less then a 1/2 Marathon. But there are some exceptions like; Bloomsday race, Bay to Breakers, and the Sun Run. These events I would definitely travel for.

[Ed Fizz]

If its "the right race", why not? My first half was in Ottawa, a 6hr drive for me.

[JenniferMcCreath]

nothing against half marathons, but they're just not my thing. i consider myself a marathon runner. this is what i love to do. it is my passion.

most of my vacations are planned specifically with marathons in mind.

however, for those who love half-marathons, i think it is great if one wants to travel specifically for them. heck, any running event is exciting! and heck, a half marathon is just as much of a good excuse to travel to sunny florida in january than anything else.. lol

Jenn

[lxiao]

I voted yes. Most of my longer travel distances have been for marathons, but certainly, I've travelled for halfs and would do so again. It depends on my reasons for the race and destinations I choose. The distance I'm racing doesn't determine my travel.

[Cheermidget]

I chose the third option, but that's because I try to do "multitask" while traveling.

When I lived in Montreal, I've traveled to Toronto (because my family and friends are there too), NYC (also to see my DH..but come one, do you really need a reason to travel there?) and Ottawa (because you have to do the Ottawa race weekend at least once in your life!) to run half-marathons.

[rungirlrun]

Some more thoughts here...
As I've said to many friends..."the halfM is a lovely distance". I can run a HalfM in the morning...go for a lovely lunch and just hang out in the afternoon....maybe even go to an Art Gallery or two... "

I completely agree with this!

I find it more motivating to be travelling to a race..regardless of the distance.

[HCcD]

still thinking about flying out to BMO Marathon weekend for a 1/2 this year :think: