7 Essential Travel Tips for the Active Adventurer
tasc Performance

7 Essential Travel Tips for the Active Adventurer

By Karen Poole, tasc Ambassador

Spring and Summer travel! It’s here and I love it. The cold is gone, the sun is out and I finally get to explore in short sleeves and flip-flops.

I enjoy long distance running so it’s the perfect time for me to plan a few long distance races when I travel. I love to plan races around vacation. But being somewhere new can make it hard to keep up with my current training routine.

Over the years I have come up with some tried and true travel tips that keep me organized and on track. Whether you are traveling for vacation or for a race, these tips will help you enjoy the journey and keep up with your health and fitness routine.  

  1. 1. Pack light. A good rule of thumb is to pack once and then remove 50 percent of what you packed. I’m serious. I always pack too much. I end up wearing many of the same pieces over and over again and come back with half a suitcase of unworn clothes. Save yourself the extra weight in your suitcase and leave room for fun souvenirs to bring back with you by slimming down your packing. 
  1. 2. Dress in layers. I always pack layers for travel because you never know what type of weather you may get. tasc has a few of my favorite layering pieces:
Northstar fleece – It’s the perfect layering piece. It is incredibly soft, and makes a great layer over you tank or t-shirt to keep you warm. My favorite feature is the fold over “mitts” that keep your hands from getting chilly!
365 SS Crew – This t-shirt is perfect for a base layer on hikes. It’s soft and moves with you because of it’s bamboo/organic cotton/spandex blend.




  1. 3. Don’t skip your workouts. There is no reason to skip a workout when traveling. There may not be the same equipment you normally use, but that’s ok, it’s good to mix up your routine and try new things. Rent a bike, go for a hike or finally try out paddle boarding!

I am a runner, so running new places is very special for me. I feel like I get to see so much more traveling on foot than I ever would if I stuck to roads and public transport. Try running a few miles in the morning from your hotel or residence. You’ll be surprised at how much you see. Ask around to find the best places to go.

  1. 4. Bring your camera. Or phone or whatever new digital device you have. I can never capture all the beauty I see when traveling, but I love taking snapshots to remember and share the amazing places I go. 
  1. 5. Wear sunblock. Coming off the gloomy winter months where you may have gone without sun for weeks without end can lead to sunburns the first few days of vacation. No one wants to be in pain during vacation. Save your skin by applying sunblock before heading out on your daily adventures.
  1. 6. Bring your own snacks. If you are going far, especially out of the country, it can be comforting to bring along what your body already knows. Pack some pre-packaged granola bars, nuts or dried fruit.

When traveling in your own country, you can bring whatever snack you love. When traveling abroad, be sure to check with customs to see what is and is not allowed.

  1. 7. Plan ahead, but keep your schedule open too. One of the things I like most about vacation and travel is getting to see and do things I never would have done when I am at home. Having too ridged of a schedule can cause you to miss out on the little things or unknown opportunities. Even just leaving extra time to sit and sip coffee at a café can open up the door to meeting locals that can tell you of less traveled tourist areas.

Leave at least one day open on your schedule to just enjoy the area you are traveling to and see what happens. You may find a new exciting place to explore or have some much needed rest and reflection. Regardless, this may become your favorite part of the trip. It’s amazing what can happen when we let go of our schedules and expectations.

 

Traveling the world and exploring new places is essential to keeping your adventure spirit alive! Wherever your adventures may take you, I know you will have a great time and come back with many new stories to tell.

 

Karen Poole is a Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Running Coach and fitness enthusiast currently living in Ukiah, CA. She loves all sports, trail running and hiking. If it's sweat inducing and outside, Karen is there! She is also a fitness writer for the 8fit app. You can find more from Karen at her blog: Reason to Play, sharing all things running and fitness. "I'm always looking for my next great adventure."

Back to Tasc Life