Hot days are coming and many of you are already thinking about summer holidays: if you go somewhere with a beach and do not want to stop training in those days, running in the sand can be a challenge and a way to keep fit during those days of rest.

A different environment, cleaner air, the company of the sea and the waves … Running on the beach has a lot of advantages that we can not miss. But we also need to be prepared for these changes, especially if we come from the city and run all year on asphalt. This is what you should keep in mind before starting to run on the beach.

• With sneakers or without slippers?: it is clear that the grace to run through the sand is to do it with bare feet. But beware: if you spend all year running with cushioned shoes, even if the sand is a softer surface, you will still need a period of adaptation. Start with a few minutes concentrating on landing with the forefoot instead of the heel and increase the time as the days go by.
• Wet or dry sand?: If you are a beginner in running through the sand, it is best to start running along the seashore, where the sand is wet and is firmer. If you are already used to this surface you can go to the dry sand, where running is much more demanding since the foot sinks and requires more effort to move. A good idea can also be to intersperse the two types of sand as if they were series.
• Proprioception work: if you come from the asphalt, running through the sand can be a challenge. The work of proprioception multiplies, since sand is a more unstable surface. Care especially with the ankles and knees: you can start training them right now with dry exercises to get in perfect condition to the beach.
• Be careful with the change in altitude and with the increase in humidity: personally it is what most affects me when I run along the beach. The closer we are to sea level, the more oxygen there is in the air and, in theory, our performance should be better, but always after a period of acclimatization. The first days I run on the beach I usually get a very strange feeling of dizziness, so I control the rhythms and distances a lot.High humidity also affects our performance, which is reduced by a high percentage. As there is more humidity in the coastal areas, the body is less efficient at evacuating sweat and cooling. Control the rhythms and monitor our pulsations is essential to run safely.