Poles go in your checked luggage and lithium batteries in your carry-on.
Living here in Canada, I tend to travel quite a bit to the US
for races and increasingly internationally as well
and this can present some unique challenges.
So in this video, I'll give you some tips for everything from
how to pack your gear and nutrition to handling long drives and time changes
because there are risks associated with traveling to races
that can really affect your performance and the outcome of your race.
If you're new to the channel, my name is Jeff Pelletier
and I am a trail runner and filmmaker based here in beautiful Vancouver, Canada.
I've run a few races now in Europe, including TOR des Geants and UTMB,
and I've traveled as far as Africa to race.
And of course, I document all of this in my films here on YouTube.
I thought I'd start this video with, well, where every trip starts which is in packing your bags.
I've always tried to avoid checking luggage when I travel
but unfortunately this can just be a little bit more difficult when traveling for big trail races
because there are some things that you just can't take with you in your carry-on luggage.
As I said off the top, this includes trekking poles.
You might be able to get away with this on some airlines,
but these are expensive enough that I definitely
wouldn't want to risk having them confiscated by security.
So those go in your checked luggage.
But there are some things that you don't want to put in your checked luggage
and this includes lithium batteries.
Most airlines require that you keep these in your carry-on.
So what I typically will do is just remove the batteries from things like my headlamps
and I'll carry those and if I'm concerned with space
I can then throw the headlamp itself in my checked luggage.
But remember, there's a chance that your checked luggage could get lost.
So I would try to carry as many of your important
race day items with you in your carry-on as possible,
keeping in mind of course that some things are more easily replaced than others.
If you're flying into a major city or a popular outdoor destination like Chamonix
there's a good chance that you could replace
something like a headlamp in a pinch pretty easily.
But there's less of a chance that they'd have a running pack or or
the same pair of shoes that you like in your size, for example.
So I'll usually carry on the outfit that I plan on wearing during the race,
along with my running vest at a minimum,
and I'll actually wear my running shoes on the plane
and I'll check my backup shoes instead.
Nutrition products are usually a little bit easier to replace,
at least when it comes to things like gels
and that kind of stuff can be problematic if it
contains liquid when going through security anyway.
So I'll usually check this kind of stuff.
But if you're bringing large amounts of food,
like when doing a self-supported staged race like the one that I did in Namibia last year
or in the country of Georgia this past summer,
there are a few more considerations.
Don't try to bring any fresh or even dried fruits or nuts
if this is something that can easily be purchased at your destination instead.
Because this is the kind of stuff that can cause problems with immigration.
You should only bring pre-packaged, non-perishable products like these dehydrated meals.
It's a common practice to repackage the these products into freezer grade Ziploc bags
to save on space and weight
but you should keep everything sealed in its
original packaging until you arrive at your destination,
whenever you're flying internationally,
and this should help you avoid any issues upon arrival,
especially when it comes to pills like electrolyte tablets
or any powdered products like these drink mixes.
Bring your Ziploc bags with you, empty and repackage it in your hotel instead.
So to quickly review: We've got food products in our checked baggage,
sealed in their original packaging,
along with anything big and sharp that could be potentially used as a weapon like poles.
In our carry-on, we're carrying essentials like our running vests
and as much of our race day kit as possible,
as well as any lithium batteries,
and we're wearing our race day shoes on the flight.
And one last quick tip here: I've started to hide one of these Apple Air tags in each of my bags
so that I can track my bags myself in case they do get lost or delayed.
These came in really handy on our last flight
to Europe where our bags were delayed in arriving to Geneva.
So I think they're a really good investment.
The other thing that I always wear for any long flight or drive is a pair of compression socks
to help avoid the blood from pooling in my feet.
I use compression socks that were designed for running
but you can also get medical grade socks from a pharmacy
which you then may be able to get covered by some extended medical plans.
These are even more important to wear on the flight or the drive home after the race
when your lower legs are going to be more prone to swelling.
While you're on the plane,
try to get up and walk around every hour or so to help keep the blood flowing.
I always book an aisle seat for this reason, so that I don't bother anybody.
And remember to hydrate.
I always travel with an empty bottle that I can fill up with water at airports,
and I try to drink as much as possible with electrolytes while on a long flight.
Getting up to use the washroom is a great excuse to stretch the legs,
and this is yet another reason why it's a good idea to get an aisle seat.
Try to arrive at least a day or two before an event.
This will give you enough time to settle in and to buy any last minute supplies that you might need
in case you forgot something or, worst case, if your bag was lost.
This could also give you time to do a shake out run though
which can be really helpful after a long day of travel.
But keep it short, maybe just 20 to 25 minutes, especially if it's the day before the race.
The goal here is just to help calm the nerves and to help with blood circulation.
But listen to your coach here as well.
There's nothing wrong with taking the day off completely before a race,
and maybe just taking a warm bath instead, followed by some light foam rolling.
For international trips though like when traveling between North America and Europe,
I try to give myself at least a week in order
to get over my jet lag and to adjust to the new time zone,
which for me is usually around a nine hour difference when heading to the Alps.
They say it takes about a day for every hour.
This also gives me even more time to buy gear and supplies should my bags get lost,
and for those multi-day races of course there is a lot of required gear.
I know this is a luxury that many people might not be able to afford,
especially those who can't work remotely like myself,
but it's really the best way to set yourself up for success.
I would take a hard look at how much you're already spending
between your gear and all your training throughout the season,
of course your flights and your race entry fees,
and see if you can't stretch that budget just a little bit further
to give yourself at least a few extra days before an event.
Nobody said that racing internationally was cheap.
Just be sure not to pack in too much sightseeing right before a race,
and try to stay off your feet.
This can be really tempting when visiting a new place for the first time,
or when you're at those really exciting race expos like at UTMB.
But you're best to save most of this sightseeing for after the race as active recovery,
if you have any extra time then before you fly home. W
When it comes to adjusting to a new time zone,
I find it best to avoid taking any midday naps the first day you arrive.
You should try your best best to stay awake until that night to begin adjusting.
I found that sticking to the new time zone for my meals helps me to adjust as well.
You might also find that taking something like melatonin can help you to sleep,
not only on the plane but also to help you avoid waking up in the middle of the night
on those first couple of nights when you arrive.
But talk to your doctor about this first.
But if you are arriving just a day or two before a race,
I know that some people suggest just forgetting trying to adjust to the new time zone at all.
Some races like UTMB actually start in the evening anyway
so you may actually benefit from sleeping through most of the day
and then being more awake during the night when the race starts.
But I think you'd find that this is a little bit more difficult in practice,
given some of the requirements around package pickup and gear check.
The reality is that the further you travel to a race,
the more at a disadvantage you're going to be
compared to other athletes who are from the area.
Time zone changes can affect everything from your energy levels to your appetites
and even your bowel movements
and travel really adds a lot of stress both physically and mentally.
So you need to consider this when choosing your races in the first place,
especially if your budget is tight and you're hoping to keep your stay abroad to a minimum.
This doesn't even take into account differences in climate or the effects of altitude
which can of course hugely affect performance as well.
After a race, I like to give myself at least a day or two before I hop on a return flight.
Although again, I know this isn't a luxury that everyone can afford.
But when it comes to really long races, just be careful that you're not cutting it too close.
I've actually seen people end up having to reschedule a flight
because their race took a little bit longer than expected.
After TOR de Geants, my first 200 miler in the Italian Alps,
I was so wrecked from the lack of sleep and my legs were so swollen
that I pretty much had to just lie in bed for about two days in my hotel room
and just barely got mobile again in time for the awards.
There's no way that I could have hopped on a flight the day after I finished that race.
After UTMB this summer, we ended up spending the entire day after the race
at the spa in Chamonix before flying home a day later
and this made the long journey home way more comfortable
and I think actually really helped to speed up my recovery as well.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips to add that I might have missed.
Of course, stay tuned to the channel to see
some of the films from the races that I traveled to this year
like UTMB and my stage race from the country of Georgia.