Traveling and racing are both exciting adventures on their own—imagine combining them! If your 2025 running goals include a destination race with friends, this blog post is for you. Run Wichita connected with local runner Jen Smith, who recently organized a 10-day trip to Ireland for 19 people to run the Dingle Half Marathon. Read on for Jen’s valuable insights, tips, and recommendations on how to plan an unforgettable racecation with your friends!
Content provided by Jen Smith
Plan ahead. FAR ahead.
I’d had my eye on the Dingle race since my family went to Ireland 10 years ago and was in the town of Dingle right around race time. Once I started getting serious about it, I followed the race’s social media accounts. That clued me in that the race would sell out fast. About 18 months before race day, I floated the trip idea to my running friends to gauge interest and get a tentative head count.
Start with a rough plan before presenting it to your running buddies.
I had the framework of the trip planned out early on — which airport I wanted to fly in and out of, which towns I wanted to visit and for how many nights, travel dates, etc. Without this framework, trip planning could have gotten out of hand (“I wanna go here.” “I don’t wanna do that.” “Hey, what about also going to…”). It also makes budgeting easier, but build some padding into that budget — there’s always an unexpected expense or two.
Reach out to the race director.
Since I knew how fast the race would sell out, I emailed the organizers three months before the 2023 race to ask about guaranteed entries. I had enough interested people to meet their requirements, so we were able to register the day before the 2024 signups opened to the general public. Which was good — the half marathon sold out in 36 hours!
Set financial deadlines and don’t be afraid to nag the heck out of everyone.
With such a large group, I decided to handle the hotel and tour reservations myself, collecting payments from everyone, while each person booked their own flights (although I recommended specific options). I gave everyone plenty of advance notice about payment deadlines and amounts and followed up with anyone who missed the deadline (giving a couple of weeks of grace because life gets busy…but eventually, you gotta poke people). I asked for an initial deposit early, then about half of the remaining balance was due six months before the trip, and the final payment due two months before departure. These deadlines were based on when I had to pay for things — some of the hotels had me pay at booking, others a month before check-in, and some upon arrival. I created a master document or spreadsheet to track all the firm expenses (hotels, transportation, tours/events), the cost breakdown per person for each item, and a record of who paid what and when.
Get contact info for everyone early on.
This made follow-ups easier. I created a private Facebook group for planning and announcements, but since not everyone is on social media all the time, I wanted a backup method to reach people if necessary.
Don’t skimp on travel time and layovers.
Especially for international trips, it’s essential to allow for extra layover time and arrive a day or two ahead of the race. You don’t want to risk missing the race due to aircraft mechanical issues or weather delays. For the Dingle race, we flew out on Wednesday and arrived in Ireland on Thursday, which turned out to be a great plan (the race was on a Saturday). A few participants faced travel issues and didn’t arrive in Ireland until Friday, so having that extra buffer was a lifesaver.
Book directly with the airline and hotels.
Avoid relying on third-party travel sites. While resources like Expedia, Hotels.com, and Google Flights are useful for researching options, I strongly recommend booking directly through the airline and hotel. If problems arise, these third-party sites offer little support for rebooking, and the airline or hotel may not be much help either. It might seem like a good way to save money, but it’s not worth the stress. One couple on my trip booked their flights through a third-party site, only to have their return flight canceled two weeks before departure. They couldn’t find an alternative through the site and had to cancel and rebook flights to and from Dublin—meaning they also had to rent a car to reach Dingle.
Plan most sightseeing after the race.
You don’t want to tire your legs out before the big day! Save most of your sightseeing for after the race so you can enjoy the sights without worrying about fatigue.
Allow for some unstructured time.
Everyone has different interests and travel styles. We had a free day in Dingle, which gave everyone the flexibility to explore. Some went on distillery tours, others hiked, some tried falconry, and a few joined boat tours around Dingle Harbor and the coast. It’s great to leave room for spontaneous adventures!
Finally, take a deep breath and enjoy the trip.
This is your vacation too, so don’t stress! The trip should be memorable for the fun and experiences you had, not because you were overwhelmed and stressed out. So relax, enjoy the journey, and make lasting memories—without crying into your Guinness at the pub every night.
Thank you Jen!!
Run Wichita is grateful to Jen for providing this wealth of knowledge from her trip! Her insights and tips will undoubtedly help others plan their unforgettable racecations. Whether you’re running across the globe or exploring a new destination with friends, the right preparation can turn your race into a truly memorable adventure. So, start planning, stay organized, and most importantly, enjoy every moment of your journey—both on and off the racecourse!
About Jen Smith
Jen has been running for about 12 years. Her biggest accomplishments are finishing the Dopey Challenge, Pikes Peak Ascent, Quad Keyah, and the New York City Marathon twice. The Dingle race was her 42nd half marathon (despite knee surgery this past summer). Although she’s an avid traveler, this is the biggest trip she’s organized.
Est. 1976 