How to Run on Sand
extract from ehow
Lean forward and run toe-in to move with maximum efficiency on the
sand.
STEPS
1. Get a feel for the difference between hard-pack sand and
soft-pack sand. The hard pack is usually the darker, wet sand close
to the water. The soft pack is usually lighter and higher up on the
beach.
2. Run on the soft sand by landing toe first and digging your toes
into the sand.
3. Lean forward as you run, so that it almost feels like you're
going to fall over right before you kick your toe in.
4. Run on the hard pack the same as the soft pack, but lessen your
toe-in kick.
TIPS
Run on the flat part of the beach. Running on a slope is bad for
your spine and could easily cause a hurt knee or ankle.
It's important to stretch well before and after running on the
beach - the way your heel can sink into the sand puts more pressure
on the Achilles' tendon and it can get pretty sore.
Warnings:
Be careful running toe-in on rocky beaches.
Tips
Shorten your stride while running. This will allow you to land on
the sand in a flat-footed manner. The more evenly distributed your
weight is, the less you are going to sink into the sand, which
means less resistance. It also helps a lot to look for
harder-packed sand. For example, run in tire tracks or other
people's footprints.
