First Running Steps

Starting the New Running Season

Running can be so liberating, a rejuvenation of both body and mind. But it can take a while before one regains that perfect “flow” phase that makes running so enjoyable. There is no feeling more glorious than (almost) floating playfully over sticks and stones.
The Alpine environment of Saalbach Hinterglemm is a real find for runners, especially when the conditions allow vertical running. What a unique experience! There is a simple explanation for this: the topography of the picturesque mountains surrounding the eva,VILLAGE is like a giant caldron - running downhill, which is - as we all know - incredibly annoying, is a rarity here, also due to the modern lifts, which transport mountaineers to higher altitudes both in summer and (obviously) winter.

While on the move, nature supplies us with the required energy… But don’t forget that the early bird catches the worm - imposing views included!

Many repeat the same mistakes at the start of every running season. Impatient to finally swap the winter boots for running shoes, they run for too long at the beginning of summer - especially in Alpine areas where the mountains are still capped with snow.

The best approach is to begin with a fairly slow pace, only minimally faster than a brisk walk. There’s no shame in “walking breaks” to spare muscles and joints at the beginning. Even 10 minute runs have a beneficial effect on your physical health. Many runners also underestimate the importance of a diligent warm-up routine when starting the new running season. Moving your joints a little and some light stretching is sufficient before embarking on those first kilometres in good spirits.

Metabolism turbo boosters?

Everyday life tends to breathe down your neck at all times. There’s still tomorrow’s meeting to prepare for and you have no more than 30min for exercise. Even these short sessions can be optimised. It’s not always necessary to exercise non-stop for an hours.

“Intervals are the spice for your training sessions”, Gunter, our sport and vitality coach, yells as he runs past.

Simply include a few bursts of pace in your training regime - it really works wonders! In this context, 30min of exercise (incl. warm-up and warm-down) are more than enough to stay fit and healthy. The following method is particularly popular: run 400m eight times with 1-minute break between every cycle. Choose your pace to ensure that you can easily maintain a brisk tempo. The point of the exercise is not to crawl on all fours due to exhaustion when you enter the seventh interval. A special goodie - as in a reward for the interval training - is the body’s excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Even long after you’ve completed your exercise, your body burns your morning bread roll and your muscles adjust to the new stimuli.

In the mood for running now? If you need any further advice, don’t hesitate to ask our running guru Gunter. In his capacity as our sport and vitality coach, the passionate trailrunner is always more than willing to offer great advice and can show you the most beautiful places in the area around Saalbach Hinterglemm.

Of course eva,VILLAGE will also ensure that you can relax accordingly after your workout.