6 Tips for Running on the Beach – Exercising in Maui
Before my running tips, a quip:
“In what other land save this one is the commonest form of greeting not “Good day,” nor “How d’ye do”, but “Love”?” said Jack London. “That greeting is ‘Aloha’: love, I love you, my love to you… It is a positive affirmation of the warmth of one’s own heart-giving.”
Aloha is similar to “Namaste” in Yoga-speak…it doesn’t just mean “hello” or “good-bye”, it means love and affection. Aloha is also similar to “Shalom” in the Jewish language.
But I digress. Click Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook for info about this tropical paradise, and read on for my tips for jogging in Maui…because you want to stay looking gorgeous in your bikini or Speedo, right?
When You’re Jogging on the Beaches in Maui…
1. Avoid the fitness center – keep jogging on the beach! Don’t let your first few runs discourage you, my friend. The resistance of the sandy beach – especially if it’s deep, wet sand – is fantastic exercise for your calves, thighs, buns, and feet. But, it’s also very difficult. Don’t give up and exercise indoors (the Kanaapali Villas in Maui has a fitness center, but who wants to be inside a gym when you’re on a tropical vacation?).
2. Follow the leader. It’s easier to run in another person’s footprints in the sand. If you’re getting tired or need a little break, just jump right into the footprints of those who have walked or run ahead. This is good for your eye-body coordination as well – and can distract you from feelings of fatigue.
3. Do intervals or “fartleks.” One of the best ways to lose weight when you’re running on the beach in Maui is to alternate between running in the sand and jogging on the beach boardwalk (it winds through the several resorts, parallel to the beach). Try to alternate how fast you run – this is a type of interval training, and can increase calorie burn and weight loss.
4. Stay motivated – because it’s hard work to run on the beach! The deep, golden sands of Maui can make it seem like you’re running through quicksand. My running partner and I were huffing, puffing, and practically pouring with sweat after only a few minutes. A tip for jogging in paradise is to keep reminding yourself that this is one of the best workouts for your body – especially if you’re trying to lose weight. The resistance of the sand challenges your legs, feet, and heart, and pushes your body ways it’s not familiar with…which helps you tone up and slim down.
5. Another tip for staying motivated: enjoy the cushion the sand provides. To keep myself motivated to keep running, I reminded myself how great the sand is for my knees, back, and feet. That sand, which provides resistance and thus greater weight loss, also offers a much softer cushion than running on a sidewalk.
6. After your run, take your shoes off before you enter your hotel room. Lots of golden Maui sand snuck into my jogging shoes, and I found that giving them a good shakeout before stepping into my lovely studio apartment worked beautifully.
An alternative to running in the sand: If you haven’t packed for your vacation in Maui, and if your hotel has a DVD player (which they all do at the Aston Kanaapali Villas), consider packing your workout videos. At home, I do the 10 Minute Solutions workouts almost every day – they’re excellent for weight loss and strength training! But I didn’t bring them on this trip because I wanted to exercise in different ways.
If you’re not going on vacation but want to lose weight, read 10 Workouts to Boost Your Metabolism for tips!
Category: Entertainment, Fitness & Exercise Tips, Health & Wellness, Travel & Vacation Tips, Weight Loss Tips
I used to run on the beech loads when I lived by the coast. It made a nice change to all the road running and i swear you have to put at least twice the effort into your style and pace when you run on sand!
Thanks for your comments, Chantelle and Susan.
I ran on the beach for the fourth time today, and found it was much, much easier than my first time. That’s another tip for running on the beach: remember that it gets easier the more often you do it!
Aloha to you!
Susan
Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful vacation!
An excellent article! Thanks for all the useful tips… I’ll make sure I incorporate them into my workout when I go to Maui in April
) Have a TOTALLY AWESOME WEEK!!!