Last week, the island was cast in the shadows of Hurricane Rina.
Thankfully, she kept a safe distance from our shores and she only shared with us her cooler temperatures and a few inches
of rain.
Many runners took Rina’s near arrival as a sign to stay indoors and catch up on their reading.
More than once last week, I was asked if I was still going to run in the inclement weather and my answer was always a definitive yes.
Torrential downpours aren’t much fun to run in and usually send me running for cover instead of the open road.
But during my six years on Island, I’ve learned it won’t rain all the time and the heavy rain doesn’t usually last long.
If you can find the patience to work around the heavy downpours, you could treat yourself to some of the best running conditions you’ll find, with lower temperatures and humidity.
However, for us runners, it is important to protect our feet as running in wet feet can lead to blisters and/or bruised toe nails.
Here are a few tips to keep you dry(er) while running in the rain.
Stick to higher ground. Low-lying ground is plentiful on the Island but the sidewalks along West Bay Road, for example, will normally keep you out of the puddles.
Wear a brimmed hat to help keep the rain off your face. Note, it may not protect against that darn sideways rain.
Wear technical fabric such as polypropylene or CoolMax. It will help wick water and sweat away from your skin. Cotton holds the moisture, causing it to become heavy and leads to chaffing. As a safety precaution, you might want to Vaseline up before you head out. I don’t recommend wearing a waterproof rain slicker because it will trap in moisture and heat.
Invest in a poncho (a couple of dollars). It can keep you dry while letting the air circulate. It can also fold up nicely when you’re finished or be discarded, if need be.
For long runs (anything longer than an hour), you might want to do an out-and-back route that brings you back home around the half-way point. That way you can change your socks and/or shoes (if you have an extra pair).
From a safety point of view, I recommend wearing an outer layer that’s light coloured and wear something reflective to remain visible to all. Running in the rain normally means poor visibility, which can increase the chances of an accident, so stay safe.
Boot camp
Last week, I told you I would share with you the outline for my Tuesday workout.
I refer to it as my Running Boot Camp – a high intensity workout. I currently use the basis of this workout to increase my speed and endurance. Please note I’m still not very fast.
A commonly used saying in the running community is “slow running teaches you to run slowly”. Interval training, like that done during our informal boot camp, has numerous benefits but it’s not for everyone.
The premise of the workout is based on the Swedish-invented Fartlek training (short bursts of high intensity work followed by slow recovery).
This type of training provides runners with many physiological changes including an increase in cardiovascular efficiency; an increased tolerance to the build-up of lactic acid; and burning a large number of calories in a short period of time.
These changes will result in improved performance, greater speed, and endurance.
However, you will notice that I’ve not assigned Interval training in my weekly workouts and that is because the weekly programme is geared towards beginner runners/walkers and introducing high intensity workouts to individuals who are not physically prepared for them can significantly increase the chance of injury.
My goal is to get our readers across the finish line at this year’s Intertrust Cayman Marathon. Next year, we can work on improving your time.
Now back to the workout.
Every Tuesday evening, a few friends and I meet around Camana Bay/International school. The start of the session is always the same – we start with a half-mile warm up (walk/run) followed by a few miles at 85 to 90 per cent pace (not quite full out, but close).
I started out doing two miles and have since worked my way up to three miles for the start and finish of the workout. The plan is to eventually work my way up to six miles for both sections.
Once the miles are completed, we immediately jog or recovery run over to either the parking garage or the tower stairs in Camana Bay (sometimes both) and perform our circuit training.
The circuit changes from week to week but we always do four reps. Last week we did the following:
Sprint up to the top of the parking garage
Slow jog/recovery run to the bottom
Sprint up the stairs of the parking garage
Slow jog/recovery run to the bottom
Walking lunges – 10 steps each leg, done at the bottom of the garage
Squat jumps – 10 reps
Wall sits – 35 seconds
After completing four sets of the circuit, we finish with another couple of miles at 85-95 per cent pace and a half-mile recovery run. The workout takes us just over an hour to complete and builds up a nice burn in the legs which is sure to last a day or two.
This workout is hard, but leads to good results and a great sense of achievement.
Until next week, don’t stop running!
James Murray, who is training to run 100 miles around Grand Cayman as part of his “A Crazy Idea” campaign, provides weekly training tips for those who want to complete their first half marathon (13.1 miles)
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