Running on vacation can really spice up your routine.

Taking a vacation is something everyone looks forward to. You get to relax, sleep in, see new places, eat new food and talk to new people. One thing many people forget about vacations though is that they're also a great opportunity to run somewhere new. While everyone else is sleeping in, nursing hangovers or gorging themselves at the hotel breakfast bar, you can be out jogging on the beach or running along the cliffs. So, pack your running gear, follow these suggestions and you too can have a fun, relaxing holiday with some exercise thrown in.

One of the great things about vacations is that you can get away from your normal running routine and try something different. Instead of running a set distance on a known route, like you do every day, strike out for the unknown. Leave the front door of your hotel, turn right or left and just run without knowing or worrying where you're running to. Run for as long as you want - this time, you don't have to think about needing to turn around so you can get to work on time. Check out the new scenery. Say hello to strangers. If you normally live in a city, enjoy the fresh air of the countryside or the beach. Run for the sheer joy of it.

Running on vacation is also a fun way to see a new place. Many tourist attractions can be a pain in the rear to get to, especially when you have to find parking when you get there. Getting there on foot is often easy. You can also go from one tourist attraction to another and see even more cool stuff in between the two places. It sure beats sitting in a car on vacation where, half the time, you're missing interesting things because you're too busy trying to figure out how to get to the next place.

Many popular tourist destinations also have their own marathons, 10k races or fun runs. Plan a vacation to coincide with the city's marathon or run. You can spend one of your vacation days taking part in a road race, then the rest of your vacation jogging around town, enjoying the sights.

So, next time you go on vacation, pack your shoes and gear and enjoy running in a new environment. You'll have a great vacation and get back home feeling refreshed and ready to get back into some serious running.