Beach Blasting

Having spent 4 hours outside yesterday working out in the heat (mid-90s), the last thing my poor body WANTED to do was to go "beach blasting." Beach blasting a term I coined for power-walking through loose sand with hand weights and/or weight vest and/or ankle weights. So around 7:00 last night, I started thinking about going to the beach and reasons why I SHOULD go. I hydrated with about 20 oz of a 2/3-1/3 water-orange juice mixture and finally arrived at the beach at 8:30 pm - almost dark, but still hot. Fortunately 5 to 10-mph breeze was blowing.

Plan A was to go out 30 minutes and then back. The weather just didn't allow that, especially having worked in the heat off and on throughout the day. At about 23 minutes, my Plan B kicked in -- turn around and head back. The heat was beginning to take its toll - I think next time I take the Camelbak hydration pack.

On the trip out, I average about a 142 bpm heart rate and around a 122 step per minute pace. Normally on asphalt that pace would equate to about 4 mph, but on loose sand, speed is reduced significantly - to around 2.75 to 3.25 mph. It's important to note that pace is not the same thing as speed. Pace is best described as a cadence (in steps per minute typically), where speed is an actual measurement of distance traveled (usually miles) within a set period of time (usually an hour). The same applies to hiking up a slope - where you might have a 120 step per minute pace, because of the angle (as well as terrain), the speed is reduced..

On the return trip back to the car, I slowed my pace to around 115-118 steps per minute, but my average heart rate increased to around 148 bpm - I maxxed out at 160 bpm. Nothing conditions like sand in building resistance, but it's important to note that when running (and to a lesser degree walking) in sand, your feet are constantly