Well the holidays are finally over, and all things fitness, and food are back on track here at Hostels and Hot Rollers.

During my Christmas slump, I found myself relying on running as my go to fitness activity. It’s easy, requires no planning, and can be done anywhere.

Having been here for well over a month, I feel I have mastered the art of effective beach runs.. So, I thought I would share some tips for getting the most out of your vacation runs:

Hostels and Hot Rollers Top 5 Tips for Beach Running

Pre run smiles!

1- Time of Day: Not sure if you are aware, but it is HOT here. Not only is running during the day uncomfortable, but it can be down right dangerous. Exerting yourself in the mid-day heat is simply a recipe for disaster, and although I see people doing it on occasion, I believe it should be avoided at all costs. Besides, mid-day is the time for vacation naps anyway.

If I am running a 10km, I set my alarm for 6am, and get out the door asap. The sun is up, and the air is cool. There are often very few people out, which makes it nice and relaxing. Plus, my workout is done super early, and I have the whole day to look forward to.

Some days I will break my workouts up into two parts. In the morning I will do a strength training circuit, and in the evening I will do a short 5 or 6km run. I try and get these runs done between 5 and 6. The air is cooler, but I can still get home before it’s dark. Careful on these runs though, bug spray is a must!

2- Sand: Running in sand adds great resistance, and can really up your calorie burn. That being said, sand is a really unstable surface to run on, and can easy lead to sprained ankles, or pulled muscles. Whenever we get to a new beach, I look for areas that have sand that is more compact, to make for easy running.

The perfect running tide…the sunset isn’t so bad either 😉

3- Tides: There is nothing worse then planning a nice long beach run, only to discover the tide is up, and the beach is non-existent. Or even worse, the tide is up, so the beach is packed with tourists trying to take their sunset photos. To avoid being the photobomber of everyone’s photo, grab a tide guide and check out when the tide is out. Having more beach real estate will make your run much more enjoyable!

4- Be Prepared for Critters: During my runs I’ve been howled at by monkeys, dive bombed by bats, chased by dogs, charged by iguanas and chaperoned by a very persistent horse. I certainly have had to develop a certain level of flexibility with my runs. Each one is a new adventure. I like to think that each one of these experiences made me run just a little big faster!

Me being a creeper on a beach front wedding.

5-Bring Your Camera: I have yet to go on a beach run where I haven’t wanted to snap a photo of something. Whether it’s some crazy animal, a gorgeous sunset, or a beach side wedding, there is always some memory I want to document. It was a sad day when my iphone camera died, and I could no longer take a quick second to snap a pick. That being said, I have been known to run with my canon on my shorter evening runs. I just can’t resist a sunset photo!

Finally a bonus tip: Whether you are running morning, or night, on beach or on road, remember to HYDRATE. We’re not in Victoria anymore Toto, and running in hot whether can suck the life right out of you. I try and get a litre of water in me as soon as I’m done running, just to get myself back on my A game!

So there ya go! My top 5 tips for beach running. Remember, all you need is a good pair of shoes, and you are off! No excuses!

What are your beach run experiences?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress