You have to see some people’s desire to run when they go on vacation. There are many people who, without any previous habit, take to the sand to try to run a few kilometers to reduce the extra kilos they have gained with so much summer excess. And there are those everyday scenes of beach runners jogging heavily while splashing barefoot, in swimsuits and shirtless.

Find your ideal environment

Any motivation is a good one to get people to start running. The good thing is that these people don’t just do it three or four times during their vacation; when they come back from their days off, they become regular runners.

For those who already run regularly, the possibility of jogging on the seashore attracts us to the beach. However, we must not forget that sand is a peculiar surface and is not the same as the hard earth or asphalt terrain to which we are accustomed. When running on sand, the impact that our muscles have to bear is much more significant.

For this reason, it is advisable to run on the surface where the sand is wetter, as this will give you more stability.

Running on the sand on the beach will eventually help you improve your balance and strengthen your lower limbs if you preferably run barefoot. However, remember that everything is adaptive, so if you are only going to be at the beach for a few weeks, start by warming up beforehand, after which you should begin alternating walking and running.

Many of our readers live in hot climates such as the Caribbean or have to deal with high temperatures during the summer season. Tell us about the difficulties this entails. Therefore, we share five recommendations for running in hot climates.

Recommendations to run on the beach

1. Avoid peak sun exposure hours

One way to avoid the heat’s effects is to get up very early or run in the late afternoon. I avoid running sessions in the afternoon because, often, obligations become an obstacle to training. I believe in the saying, “The early bird catches the worm.”

2. Use sunscreen and accessories

It sounds strange to cover up with sunscreen at 5:00 a.m., but when we run for two or more hours in these climates, even if we start very early, the strong sun hits us, and we have to be prepared.

This is an extraordinary recommendation from Deena Kastor (the United States Olympic bronze medalist), to which I would add a hat and sunglasses.

3. Be careful about hydration

Hydration is essential for runners, and in hot climates, even more so. It is crucial not only during the session but also before and after.

4. Wear the right clothes

It is recommended that we wear clothes that protect us from the sun for very long sessions. Sometimes, on the beach, we see people training in swimsuits, which is very comfortable but not a great idea if we have to run 20 or 30k.

5. Adjusting the speed of work

If we have to do speed work, we must know that the repetitions will be adjusted. For less experienced runners, working at a slower pace is best. In contrast, for more experienced runners, it is better to reduce the number of repetitions but maintain the pace whenever possible.

Please let us know if you have any other suggestions for enriching this article.

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