The Lovin Dublin Running Guide – Sandymount

Last week we kicked off our Lovin Dublin Running Guide which featured a stunning running route along Clontarf Strand accompanied by fitness and nutrition tips to aid your training. This week we profile another beautiful running route along Sandymount Strand.

We've teamed up with FLYE Fit to put together this running guide along with some expert running and nutrition tips. While it's easy to run the same route all the time, sometimes pounding the same pavements week in, week out can be boring and uninspiring. Going somewhere different for a change of scene can motivate you as you take in unfamiliar, but beautiful, sights and sounds.

This week we decided to share one of our favourite routes for a run, Sandymount Strand. We love taking in the fresh sea air and watching all the dog walkers on the beach, kids making sand castles and groups of friends catching up and sharing a laugh on the park benches. FLYE Fit has provided us with some more fitness and nutrition tips for anyone looking to tackle this route this weekend.

Training Tips

• Try not to focus too much on your watch, clock watching makes time seem likes it's passing much more slowly. A great, fast-tempo playlist will motivate you and make the time fly by.
• Posture and form is crucially important. Keep your chest up, your hips forward and push off each foot. Try and avoid shuffling your feet as you run.
• If you're new to running, don't try and kill yourself with a big 5K or 10K run on your first go. Consistency is important. Go strong and steady and build up your endurance over time.
• Apps like Map My Run and RunKeeper are worth using as you can track your progress, they will send you reminders when you haven't ran in a few days to motivate you and they are great for helping you to try and beat your own personal bests.

Create Maps or Search for a route from millions at MapMyRun

Nutrition Tips:

• While it's not advisable to eat a big meal just before a run, it's important to fuel your body. A banana, bowl of porridge or cereal two hours before your run can give you a boost of energy that will help sustain you through your workout.
• It's so important to stay well hydrated. Not only do you need to replenish the water you will sweat out during your run, but drinking water also helps lubricate your joints and muscles. If you run in the mornings, make sure to drink plenty of water the evening before.
• Keep your diet balanced with a variety of different fruits and vegetables to ensure your body is being fed the right nutrients to support your training.

This post is sponsored by FLYEfit, an expanding Irish chain of no contract, low cost supergyms that have been creating a big buzz around Dublin. FLYEfit are the first Irish gym chain to open 24/7 and the first to offer a fully automated online, self service gym membership.

These gyms radiate a cool, urban vibe and are stuffed to the rafters with the latest cardio equipment, strength training machines, huge free weights areas, functional training zones, astro turf, rigs, racks and Olympic lifting platforms.

They also feature the ultra slick Real Ryder spinning bikes that tilt and bank like real bikes. There are over 40 weekly classes to choose from in each gym, including indoor bootcamp classes, boxercise, yoga, pumping sculpt classes, kettlebells and TRX classes to name a few. All classes are included in membership. Monthly subscription for a single club membership is only €29 per month or you can access all FLYE gyms for €32 a month.

Members control their own FLYE gym accounts online and can book classes three days ahead. The self service model enables members to join, pause and cancel their gym membership online and you can book a free gym program to get you started. Your city, your gym!

Check FLYEfit out at www.flyefit.ie and on Facebook

All Helly Hansen running gear was provided by The Great Outdoors.