Icecream and Intervals: Keep Running During Summer Break

Summer break means relaxation, ice cream under parasols, and sunny evenings. It's a welcome break from the hustle of everyday life. But how do you keep running amid the holiday and fun?  

The dilemma varies for each runner. Some need to find motivation when the pool and sunbed are more tempting than running shoes. They want to maintain fitness but also enjoy a full holiday vibe with no plans. Others struggle to balance sneaking out for a run and being present with family. Every minute feels crucial, and a run seems to steal time from being together. Fortunately, many ways exist to fit running into your holiday without disrupting its rhythm and peace.  

This guide is split in two: one section for those who prefer relaxing but want to stay fit, and another for those who love running but also wish to be present during their holiday. Find the right section for you and discover how to balance running and summer vacation.  

You've finally got a break. The alarm clock is stowed away, and your plans might just involve sunscreen, good food, and nothing else. Running shoes are packed, but motivation? It's still at home. That's perfectly fine. Holidays can feel like a break from running too.  

If you still want to maintain fitness, you can do a lot with simple efforts. Just two to three weekly sessions of 20-30 minutes at moderate intensity can preserve much of your fitness, especially if you train regularly. If that's too much during your holiday, don't worry. Studies suggest a week's pause serves as recovery with minimal impact on fitness. Only after two to three weeks without activity does your fitness significantly decline, particularly in stamina and strength (Mujika & Padilla, 2000).  

Therefore, even a bit of movement a few times a week can be enough to keep you going, maintain fitness, and make post-holiday re-entry easier. 

Running isn't the only way to get your heart pumping and keep active. The holiday can also make room for new activities that fit the mood and surroundings. Try: 

The point is: Some movement is far better than none. It can maintain fitness and uplift your mood. You might even create memorable holiday moments. 

For other runners, motivation isn't the issue, but balancing the urge to lace up with the desire to be present is. Your foot taps under the table as your eyes catch the trail leading into the woods. The holiday schedule is packed with activities, meals, and family time, making it hard to find the right moment for a run. You have the desire, energy, and shoes ready, but how do you fit it in without taking time from being together?  

One solution is to increase intensity and decrease distance. Short, effective sessions can be a great alternative to longer, time-consuming runs. Studies indicate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as short as 15-20 minutes can be an effective way to maintain fitness without spending hours on the road. HIIT can sometimes match the effects of longer, easy sessions for improving or maintaining fitness (Gillen & Gibala, 2021).  This means a few short sessions with 6 x 30-second intervals might be more than enough to maintain fitness, even on a busy holiday.  

Ready for summer holiday - and runs

This article has offered you two different paths: one for those lacking motivation to run during the holidays, and one for those who want to run but struggle to find time. You might identify with one or maybe both. With the article's perspectives and ideas, I hope you feel better equipped to find your way to summer runs, where enthusiasm, energy, and vacation can go hand in hand.



Need to upgrade your running gear for the summer heat? Check out our selection of shorts , t-shirts and caps . Below you'll also find a selection of sunglasses perfect for sun, summer, and running.