Tips for soft sand running

Sand is a great training tool from a beginner or to an elite athlete. Running on soft sand is hard work, it works many more muscles in the body due to the instability and therefore you will have increased energy output.

 

 

1 - Point your feet down into the sand

Unlike road running where the surface is stable and firm, in soft sand running you'll need to dig your feet into the sand to get purchase and grip from which to push off from.
This requires a 'pointed foot' technique that as mentioned above puts a lot more stress on your calve muscles as well as the skin of your toes and feet.
If you do find your calves getting fatigued or even cramping then run for a minute with more of a 'flat footed' technique to allow them rest before resuming the pointed foot technique.

2 - Tighten your abs and run upright

You need to be cautious about your upper body posture now that you've pointed your toes and scrunched your feet because it over accentuates your normal lumbar spinal curvature. Too much curve on your lower back can over work these muscles so be sure to 'tuck' your bum down and use your abs on the front of the body to maintain a normal lumber curve.
Also, be sure to keep a normal upright posture when soft sand running (or running in general!). Too many people bend forward and hunch over, probably because it's a posture that communicates how hard they are working on the soft sand! You should keep shoulders back, chin in and chest up with a normal arm swing and relaxed upper body.

3 - For the Barefoot Runners, Scrunch your toes

Another part of getting good grip on the sand is scrunching your toes a bit to make a stronger platform for pushing off.
You might like to think how a ballet dancer squishes their toes up and this is what you are aiming for when on the on the soft sand. Doing this will avoid too much abrasion underneath your toes or pain in your feet from having your toes splayed by soft sand running.

4 - “Sneaky” tips and strategy

During a race or any run, you'll need solid preparation but some strategic tips can make all the difference!
One sneaky tip is to always try to run behind someone and 'trail' them as following a persons foot prints where the sand has already been compacted is significantly easier than toughing it out on fresh sand.
To make the best of this try and match up to someone of similar height so that their stride length matches yours.


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