When I got back into running in 2023, I decided that I didn’t want to stay in the city I lived in. I wanted to use running as a way to see the world and learn about international running culture while improving my fitness and mental health. I set off on my journey to run a half marathon every month in a new country for the course of 2023 and learned so much. 

If you’re looking for someone to plan a vacation around a European race for you, look no further. I offer trip consultations, tailored travel itineraries, and end-to-end trip planning. I even support running clubs traveling in large groups.

When I first started running international races, I didn’t care much for the specifics of the actual race. I just cared about being in a cool city. This led to my first race being a nightmare of loops and repetition. I also didn’t think much about what the actual running culture would be like. I had previously only run in the United States and knew how popular it was for non-runners to go cheer. It is not like that in many European cities. 

Before you book your first international race, I want you to ask yourself these questions to make sure you are finding the right destination race for your goals.

Do You Want Your International Race in a Specific City or Month?

There are two ways that I can start searching for an international race. Either one works depending on your criteria. 

The first method is plain old Googling. Let’s say you are looking for a race in Berlin, I would start by Googling “best races in Berlin”. You will get lots of results and be able to narrow down your choices. This method is also good if I am looking for a fun race to run, like a wine half. If I don’t have a specific location or type of race, I will use my second method. 

If you don’t care what city you are running in, and just want to pick a specific month, I recommend Ahotu. This is an amazing database that can tell you almost every race happening across the world. I always use the filters to narrow down my options. For example, I make sure to filter for a specific month, continent, distance, and terrain. Even then I still have hundreds of options.

I will go through page by page and anything that catches my eye will get opened in a new tab. Once I have gone through all the races I focus on my selected tabs and continue my research. 

What Type of Course Do You Want for Your International Race?

Now that I have 10-12 races selected I want to learn more about the course. For me, the best races do not pass by any point twice. I am traveling for races that will allow me to explore a new city. While I can settle for an out and back, I do not want to run anything that loops the same distance multiple times. 

I also want to look at where the course goes. Ideally, the course will carry you past several famous landmarks for that city. However, this is not as important in my opinion, and it is harder to determine if you don’t know the city. 

For example, when I ran the Brussels Half Marathon, I thought the course would go past many famous landmarks. I looked at the map and knew that we would be passing them. But I didn’t know that we would actually be traveling underneath them, in a highway tunnel. I also didn’t know that despite there being the famous Atomium near the finish line, it is actually quite far out of the city. I really thought I had secured a race with a course that would take me past some of the most famous landmarks in Brussels. Not underneath them. 

What’s the Hosting City Like?

You’re traveling for an international race. The course is one factor, but it is not the only factor in finding your perfect race weekend (or week). Do you actually want to visit the host city? Have you been before? What do you know about the city?

These are just some of the many questions I ask myself about the city and country a new race is taking me too. Yes, it could be the best course ever, but do I really want to go? Typically, the answer is still yes, I love exploring new places. But sometimes, if I have traveled there before, the answer might actually be no thank you. For example, London. I have visited a few times and love it, but it is very expensive and I have been before. Unless the race is absolutely magnificent, I probably won’t go back and run there. 

If you are traveling solo, you should also ask yourself how safe the city is for solo travelers. As a woman, this is always top of mind for me when selecting a new race. I find a few Google searches can yield an answer and then I will make my selection.

Have You Read Reviews About Your Race?

Always read the reviews. Almost every race will claim that they are flat with beautiful views. That is marketing. Don’t trust race organizers to break things down truthfully. They may not lie, but they will bend the truth. I recommend finding reviews from people who have already run the races. They will honestly tell you about hills, refreshments, and the race organization. I write a review with my own thoughts for every single race I run. 

Reviews can also be helpful because they can tell you about supporters along the course. America has a very strong running culture, and you can’t expect that in every country around the world. I find Northern Europe is generally better than Southern Europe when it comes to supporters, but specific races can still be outliers if they are very small or very large.

How Much Will Your International Race Cost?

You like the city, you like the course, can you afford it? This is one of the last things I check when selecting a race. I will open Google Flights and Google Hotels and search for prices around my race weekend. I would save this step for when you have 2-3 options left that you are trying to decide between. You don’t want to get your heart set on a race and then realize hotels and flights will go way over your budget. 

Once you decide on a race, don’t wait long to book. Race day will most likely bring in thousands of runners and families. Hotel prices are going to go up earlier than a normal weekend of just tourists in the city.

Who Are You Running With?

Do you plan to run alone? Or will you travel for your international race with someone else? Even if you are both running but at separate paces, having someone else can be great when you want to celebrate your victory. 

I was chatting the other day with a friend about the feeling of crossing the finish line, and being so proud of yourself, but no one was there. Even if you signed up alone, and knew there would be no one, it can still hurt. That said, I travel alone all the time. This isn’t me discouraging solo travel, this is me saying, be prepared. It is a different emotional game when compared to races where you have someone to cheer you on. 

If you are a woman looking to travel for an international race, and want someone to go with you, I’ve got you. I started a FaceBook group in 2023 just for women who want to find traveling running buddies.

Finding your perfect international race can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. I firmly believe that at the end of the day you will find the right international race for yourself, just have confidence. I hope this will be the first of many races that you do abroad. 

Don’t forget anything on race day! Use this free packing list to make sure you have all the essentials for running and travel.