Running Abroad
Chasing the International Marathon
As I sat there on my plane, awaiting taxi to start my long flight home, my mind was beginning to race, pun intended. It was recounting 9 amazing days in Japan and the memories that were getting set in stone, becoming lessons learned. So, before I even attempted to sleep and get my body to re-adapt to the 14-hour time difference ahead, I wanted to put some words to paper, and offer tips to those who are interested in 26.2 away from the comfort of their home turf!
Running 26.2 miles is hard. Really hard. You put in weeks and weeks of training. You might decide you hate running. You go see a PT for weird pain in a place that you didn’t even know could hurt. And in case the training isn’t hard enough, then there is tapering, nutrition, race day advanced prep like what to wear, what the weather is expected to be, and what, if any, strategy am I following?! Now add in a transoceanic voyage and a massive time change and you are looking at a rather daunting prospect. But it is doable, and frankly worth it!
I’m here to help! Let this be a starter’s guide for those interested in accomplishing something uncomfortable while being uncomfortable. Here are a few things I’ve learned very quickly, along with some insight from some fellow international marathoners.
Sleep – when to do it and when not to! It’s important to work with your body on sleep. You may think you can just power through, but I’m here to tell you that your body doesn’t necessarily listen to your mind. If you’re flying ahead 14hrs (Tokyo) or 6hrs (London), the challenge remains the same: you’re spending a lot of hours in a fabricated air environment and potentially in a very uncomfortable seat.
Give yourself a couple of days to acclimate to the time change.
In both cases, I arrived on Thursday for a Sunday race.
Given my personal challenges, I might recommend another day or two.
Have a plan when you get to your destination.
DON’T IMMEDIATELY SLEEP. Regardless of when you land, resist the urge to take that nap. Get yourself to 9-10pm local time to normalize a bedtime! You’re still not going to sleep as long as you think. Your body doesn’t know, it’s on your local U.S. time.
Hydrate – drink more water than you think you need to. And if that feels like too much after your 5th stop at the restroom…drink more.
When flying to foreign destinations, water is your friend.
Bring that handy Maurten bottle or your trusty bottle of choice and keep it filled!
Depending on your destination, make sure you stick to bottled water, especially pre-race.
Figure out what is going to be on the course.
Especially the electrolyte drink provided – preferably before the race.
In London, it was Lucozade Sport. In Tokyo, it was Pocari Sweat. These are not Gatorade.
In London, I didn’t research and when I got on the course this stuff didn’t work well for me.
In Tokyo, I had already tested Pocari thanks to my friend Derek Margulies. He was able to find me some at the H-Mart in VA. From there I ordered a small case on Amazon so as to make sure it worked for me before I went abroad. And it made a world of difference, though truth be told I I didn’t entirely like it , but at least I was able to plan accordingly).
Eat – Plan your meals. What you eat at home before your long runs or before a race in the States is likely not available abroad.
Plan on checking a bag on your way out.
Put your unopened goodies in there. Peanut Butter and Toast or Rice Cakes? Pack ‘em! Gluten intolerant and Vegan like my travel buddy, Emma? Pack those dates, oats, and granola. Don’t think you can just “buy it when you get there.”
Research your food options before you get on the plane.
As exciting as it is to be in a new place with what is likely amazing food, be safe pre-race and CARB up. The last thing you need arestomach issues before the race, not to mention to possibility ofdehydration. Give yourself plenty of time post-race to delve into the local fare and explore away.
Consider the size/scale of the race.
When you look at the Marathon Majors and some other big races, like Paris, Dubai, Toronto Waterfront, and Amsterdam, you’re looking at an average of well over 25,000 participants (45k in London, Tokyo, Paris, and Berlin). If you’ve had the privilege to run the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC you know what running with nearly 30,000 people feels like. It's hectic, it’s scary…it’s CHAOS. And you know what this team does with chaos? We embrace it. But if you prefer smaller races, consider doing some good researching to see how large the field of runners is before committing. They don’t all have to be world majors to be incredible!
Pick your spot – Airbnb, hotels, hostels, oh my!
Having the right location to rest your head and wake up on race morning is more critical that you might think.
Knowing the course layout can save you. By knowing where it starts and ends, you can likely pick a spot that suits your needs and reduces stress.
In London, I was right in the middle of the point-to-point race. It was an easy two stop Overground ride to the start.
In Tokyo, we were closer to the end. This made for a little easier journey back to a hot shower and a nap (sorry about that nap, Karaoke team!).
Public Transit is your friend – take those few days you’re there early to learn it.
Subways, buses, trains will save you money and time. Especially on race day. Road closures are bound to stop your Ubers and Cabs from getting you to where you need to go. And public transit, at least in Tokyo and London are so easy and smooth.
Kilometers will get you home - Not all marathons are equal!
This doesn’t have to break your mind but it’s something you should plan for when looking down at that trusty watch of yours.
London provided both Mile and Kilometer markers on the course.
Tokyo only had Mile markers every 5 miles and Kilometer markers for every KM.
Berlin only had Kilometer markers.
One little note here - when racing with 40k+ runners that watch signal isn’t always your friend. I learned early on to turn off my Auto Lap feature (Garmin) and to manually lap my watch. If you use an Apple Watch the signal can be an issue and your distance will ultimately not match where you are on the course, so those markers are great measurements. Knowing the math of where you need to be at certain points is beneficial to that PR you’re chasing.
That’s enough from me; here’s a little more info from some folks that have turned their International Races into Boston Qualifying times so they can wear that coveted jacket on the next one!
Sara Borrasso
(One of our many Speedy Sara(h)s):
“Prepping for an international marathon is like preparing for two marathons in one: the actual race and all the travel. It’s hard enough to get in the right mental space for the race itself, but then you also have to coordinate your travel plans, which can be daunting if you’re going to a city you’ve never been to. When I was preparing for Berlin, I did a couple of things that helped quite a bit. First, I planned some time in another European city before the race (Munich one year and Paris another). That helped me get used to the time change and also let me get used to the different foods and water. Second, I did a lot of research on running paths in the cities for any pre-race runs. That helped the city feel more like home, which brought a level of comfort. Third, I started the packing process about a week out. This gave me time to really think through all the things I needed for the race and the travel in general. Lastly, I tried to think of the race as one big victory lap for my training or just another weekend long run. It took the pressure off the race and made it seem like any other day.”
Sara is running her next International Marathon in London in April 2023!
Sara ran 3:39 in Berlin in 2021. I met her randomly in the Corral in Chicago the next week talking about NETC! She dropped a 3:06 in Berlin in her rematch with it in 2022.
Stephen Rutgers
(He’s your new favorite person. You’ll just have to fight Sami Tewolde and Sarah Johanek over him):
“Tokyo was my third International Marathon since 2019. It’s good to plan extra time after the race to actually enjoy the city you are in. Don’t let yourself get exhausted before the race by trying to do all the sightseeing. Plan out some easy things like bus tours that keep you off your feet. Keep the fun stuff for after.
The most important thing is to just have fun. Soak in the people, the culture and all the sights during the race. You get to view the city from a unique view, so don’t let it all just zoom by.”
Stephen’s next adventure after Tokyo included me and 9 others representing NETC at The Seed Project!
Here he is after setting his PR just over 3:03!
Willis Chen
(Our Ref and Hype Man!):
“For planning trips around an international marathon, it can be more complex than planning an ordinary trip. It requires a lot more advanced planning and logistics, being able to anticipate any issues and mitigate them as soon as they are identified, and making sure that you are able to afford it as these kinds of trips are expensive. Also, I can’t stress this enough, but you’ll also need to make sure that your passport and/or visa situation(s), travel/health insurance, among other things, are in order before you go on these trips; these are things that could potentially derail trips like this if they are not taken care of.”
Willis is running his next International Marathon in London in April 2023!
Here he is in Berlin in 2019!
Mo Alkhawaldeh
(Coach Mo):
“The amazing connection we feel with the other runners and the crowd around you. When you run with 40,000 others, that’s a lot of family and friends watching and cheering. Even if your own family can’t be there, you still feel a wave of encouragement from everyone around you – and that’s what makes the difference. In the days leading up to the marathon, as everyone arrives and prepares for the big day, we don’t think of each other as competitors. In a sense, each of us is racing alone, trying to beat ourselves – our own personal bests. We’re all united by that goal, and those numbers become the language of the runners who are coming from different countries.”
This is the nicest Coach Mo is going to be to you. So soak it in because when you start to prep for it: No Smiles. Just Miles. :) -Will
Here’s coach prepping us the day before Tokyo. Fuel plans, route plans, Kilometer plans!
Isabella Maria
(First Marathon was an International one!):
“Running a marathon abroad requires even more preparation. While I can share some tips on how to best prepare for this exciting experience, it’s also important to consider that being far from home and your routine comes with some challenges!
I ran my first marathon last December in Valencia, Spain. I traveled 10 days before race day to ensure I adapted to the time difference and recovered from the long flight. I was already feeling very nervous about running my first marathon, so I was extra careful about my nutrition and hydration. However, if there is one thing I’ve learned, is that no matter how well you prepare, there are some things in life that are outside of our control and this was certainly the case for me… I caught a virus (probably COVID) a few days before the race, ignored the symptoms and told myself it was pre-race jitters! Because it was my first marathon, I couldn’t tell if the pain and discomfort I was in after mile 14 were part of the “experience”, so I kept pushing my body for 10 more miles until I passed out at mile 24.
My advice: if you’re thinking about running your first marathon, go for it!!! But I would recommend for your first one to find a race close to home and once you’re comfortable with the 26.2 before you take it international! International races are very exciting, getting to know a new city and culture while running is a lot of fun. Just remember to be flexible with your goals, listen to your body and enjoy the overall experience!”
There is something truly electric about jumping on a plane from really anywhere to the destination of a marathon. Especially an Abbott Major. I’m fortunate enough to have completed my 4th marathon since joining NETC, 3rd Major, and my 2nd international marathon in the past 6 months.
If you took a moment to read this, I hope it was useful and I hope you hit that PR goal in a magical place far and away! I feel so lucky to have gotten to go to some glorious places these last 6 months and while I didn’t hit my personal goals, I truly hope that the lessons I’ve learned (as well as a few others) in running 42 kilometers will help you succeed in your endeavors!
