W8R3 complete : ) & post graduation/holiday advice?

[Rosyfox]

At 42 I'm now the fittest I've ever been in my life thanks to giving up smoking and almost completing this program. What a feeling to be able to run for a full 28 minutes and also to share experiences with forum friends, thanks for all your posts which have inspired me to keep going and well done to you all.

I'll be starting W9 on Wednesday and due to go on holiday to Austria a week later, I'm hoping to run whilst on holiday so any tips on running in a location unknown to you would be helpful please? I'm looking forward to running somewhere new : )

[Rignold]

avoid running up or down Alps. Do not enter the Grossglockner ultra-trail. Look around a lot and savour the scenery.

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to Rignold]

So. How long would you recommend until entering the Grossglockner ultra-trail then?

[SC1472 Graduate]

And remember they drive on the wrong side of the road

[MarkyD Graduate]

When you are running as a tourist, you need to forget all about distance & speed & pace. Plan a route, go out and enjoy the scenery, the smells, the unexpected sounds, just the whole experience without any pressure. Obviously you'll be expected to stop and take a photo so that you can post back here: we'll be more impressed with 'I ran in Austria and this was the view' than 'I ran in Austria and took 5 seconds off my PB'.

There are 2 good websites for finding runs... mapmyrun have a useful 'routes' page, and I also use walkjogrun.co.uk and I'm sure that they'll have an equivalent in Austria. And normally the hotel/guesthouse/airbnb have some running routes to hand for people just like us!

Let us know how you get on.

Austria - I'd be concerned about altitude/gradients/sun/sunscreen and would want to run early in the morning (better photos, too).

[Rignold]

Also watch out for those purple cows that make the chocolate

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to Rignold]

We have cows at our parkrun. I call it 'Moo Moo Meadows'. But they are not purple.

[Rosyfox]

Thanks for those mostly helpful comments/advice, I'm looking forward to seeing the purple cows, unfortunatley the cows I'm used to running by here in the Peak District don't leave chocolate behind ; )

I'll definitely take some running photos to share on my return.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Well done... and I love running on holiday, it's a great way to discover new places too... I tend to look up run routes others have suggested in the area. What I usually end up doing is going off, exploring, getting lost and then finding my way back. By the end of the holiday I usually have established a route!!! Enjoy it 😎

[SueKen Graduate]

I'd be prepared for a practise run or two, running in unfamiliar territory on my holiday threw me. But it was still a good way to see the area and I felt really good for getting out there even if I didn't quite stick to my plan. Enjoy your hols and your runs 😎