Some of my best summer memories are of the trips my husband and I used to take to the Carolina Coast with his family. This was back in the early 90’s and as a new runner in my 30s I wanted to experience everything the sport had to offer…and push my fitness level as hard as I could.
Every morning while at the beach house I’d get up while the air was still cool and take off for a 5 miler on the sand. (My in-laws by the way, thought I was a little bit nutso, but they wrote it off to the fact that I was from California ;-) These are some of my best running memories and I loved being out on the beach before the crowds and the heat.
Experts say that 20 minutes of sand running is about equivalent to an hour out running on a paved surface. Sounds great, right? But there are a few things you should be aware of as you pack your running shoes for your next beach vacation.
In sand, your legs will struggle for propulsion while your upper body fights to maintain equilibrium on unstable terrain. This added effort load will help develop strong hip flexors, calves, and quads and also teaches you to use your upper body strength to help move you while you’re fatigued. All good.
However, if you have a history of knee or Achilles problems you want to be cautious. The unstable surface will generate a lot more rotation in your knee and push-off in soft sand will stress your calves. Take the time do some good stretches before starting out ,focusing on any problem areas and your calve muscles as well.
Here are two great workouts for running on sand from Craig Hummer, former champion of the Waikiki King's Race:
Endurance Run
Run your tempo pace for 40 – 60 minutes.
Sound simple? Your normal tempo run on sand will set you straight!
Kick-Butt Modified Intervals
Start with a 15-20 second warm up
Run 45 seconds at 5K race pace
Run 15 seconds at a sprint
Rest for 2 minutes
Repeat 6 times
I did my sand running in my normal trainers, but some favor barefoot running. If you fall into the latter category, be sure to give your feet and toes a good stretch before you start out…and watch out for course sand and debris…oh…and don’t forget the sunscreen!
