On Monday after I got home from work, we decided we would do a family workout on the beach. It was a perfect evening for it and after some swim time, Ana, Cady and Emma did her sprint drills in the sand while Cole and Kwamane and I ran for distance. And Yes, Kwamane is back with us. I love working out with our kids and we believe that if we focus on family exercise and living a healthy lifestyle our kids will stick to those values and the good habits they have developed throughout their lives.
I enjoy running but it’s not been part of the family plan because of the wear and tear running on pavement has had on my body. About 55 lbs ago I ran 3.5 miles each day and 10 miles on Saturdays but In the forty-four years since then powerlifting and bodybuilding happened, along with a handful of car wrecks in my Law Enforcement days. Running on pavement became difficult, which means I can go for a 30 minute run but it takes weeks to recover from it.
But then Florida happened.
Me and the beach love each other, Ana and our kids are the same so we spend as much time there as we can. One day we were there walking our dogs but in the deeper dry sand and it was a very challenging workout. My lower body was on fire when, so were my lungs, and we were done and I had no joint pain at all despite how sore my muscles were. A light bulb went on in my head and I decided to give running in the deep sand a shot. Sure enough, my back and knees didn’t hurt at all yet my lower body and lungs got an incredible workout.
Near the water the sand is wet and hard-packed, but as you move away from the water the sand gets softer and deeper so there is almost no impact when you run. It’s much harder to run in as there isn’t a solid base to push off from so your body has to do far more work in order to propel forward. I run barefoot in the sand so I notice that after running consistently for a few weeks my ankles are more stable and I have less problems with foot pain when I am standing or walking for long periods of time.
So far I have not run any further than a mile. It’s a very challenging workout and the heavy sand slows you down substantially compared to running on pavement. But cardio conditioning and lower body endurance improves much faster running in sand.
If you have not yet run in soft beach sand I recommend starting with a walk/run for about 10-15 minutes until your body and lungs get conditioned to the work. Running in soft sand is more difficult and demanding than running on a solid surface but it produces a much better result in my experience without the discomfort and injuries I had experienced running on hard surfaces. And you get to enjoy it all while soaking in the natural beauty, sounds and fresh ocean air only the beach can provide.
As always, you should consult your medical care provider to ensure you are fit and able to endure strenuous workouts in the sand before you attempt it.
