Runners

24 RUNNER’S WORLD JULY 2018### PERSONAL BEST^ TRAININGQUICK SANDTRADE IN THEPAVEMENT FORTHE BEACH TO GETMORE OUT OF EVERYKILOMETRE.BY SAMANTHA LEFAVEstrength workout that simulates variancesI might find on the trail.”Oliver’s right: opting for a soft surfacesuch as sand is a smart way to add diversityto your normal training routine. “Byputting in mileage on the sand, you’ll putless stress on your weight-bearing joints,such as your hips, knees, and ankles, whichcan help decrease the risk of impact-associated injuries like stress fractures,”says Erika Lee Sperl, a kinesiologistand high-performance sport consultantfor Orreco, a sports and data analyticscompany that helps elite athletes optimiseperformance.``````WHEN KYRA OLIVER heads out forher morning run, she usually optsfor a paved route. But once or twice a week,the 50-year-old runs past her usual start andheads toward the beach instead, where shewatches the sun rise and listens to the wavescrash as the kays tick by. Running on thesand helps Oliver clear her mind, but it alsosupplements her training for marathons and80-K trail races.“It works diferent muscles and requiresa diferent focus for me,” Oliver explains.“If I’m on the packed sand by the water, Ican set a nice pace and do short pick-ups.Running where it’s looser can be a good