The majority (≥ 6 miles) of the Beast on the Bay will
be on the beach, which is completely different than running on pavement. The
muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the hips and legs will be utilized in ways
you may not have used them before. So, it is imperative that you begin running
on the beach at least once a week, for a minimum of 1 mile, progressing to 4
miles by the end of your training. Your gait should be more of a shuffling
stride when running on the sand, due to the instability of the sand. A number
of participants will be running along the shoreline, which can be more stable
than up on the beach, however, they will be running almost twice as far. The
shoreline consists of a series of crescents, thereby extending the distance you
run. I recommend staying up on the beach and running a straight line. I’ve
passed a lot of people by using this strategy. Also, I’ve run the entire
Presque Isle shoreline, and there are a lot of parts that you will sink in. The
beach sand is fairly consistent and quicker.
There
will be trails through the wooded areas of the peninsula, as well as stretches
of ankle-deep mud through the reeds. If you live in the Erie area, I highly
recommend the Brown’s Farm course, as well as the trails of Asbury Woods for
familiarizing yourself to uneven terrain. Roots are usually the first thing to
trip you up, so be sure to make a conscious effort in lifting your feet. You’re
going to step on a number of roots, but you will be more likely to avoid injury
if you can make micro-adjustments in your footing. It’s easy to roll an ankle
on a root, but the more you train in the frontal (side to side) plane, the
better you become at adapting to lateral forces on your joints and muscles.
To help
participants prepare for the Beast on the Bay, I offer a training program
through the LECOM Wellness Center, called Beach Boot Camp. It’s a great way to
become familiar with aspects of Presque Isle that you may not have encountered.
We are constantly in the water and covered in sand, so you get used to being
uncomfortable, while running and performing various calisthenics. We also use
sand bags and tires, which forces you to strengthen your core from carrying
objects of unbalanced weight proportions. There is a lot of running in the sand
and in the water, just as you will be doing in the Beast. I highly recommend
wearing running shoes without socks. Because your feet will get wet multiple
times, you’re less likely to get blisters if you don’t have the extra layer of
fabric rubbing against your skin. As long as your shoes fit tightly on your
feet, you’ll be fine. For more information about the Beast on the Bay or my
Beach Boot Camp, please contact me on my Hopkins Fitness Facebook page.
-Dave Hopkins, M.S. ACSM-HFS, NSCA-CSCS
Fitness Supervisor
LECOM Medical Fitness & Wellness Center
5401 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509
Phone:(814)868-7800
Fax:(814)868-7804
www.lecomwellness.com
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