Windy day running

Neil_D

Neil_D

Chapter Presidents
Aug 30, 2010
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Adelaide, South Australia
minimalistrunning.blogspot.com.au
#1
Do many folks out there run on very windy days?
I'm wondering about peoples experiences when running with strong winds.
Adelaide can be a windy place as the weather fronts move across rotating in an anti-clockwise direction.
Today, I had intended to run a 25km along the beach and road.
It was going to be a warm 27C day with northerly winds. I got to the beach and found myself running 10km into 40km/h winds. This was meant to be an easy run, keeping the heart rate down. Even though I was running at an relaxed pace, running against the wind pushed my heart rate up to around 140bpm, a good 10bpm faster than I was aiming for. When I hit the turnaround point and had the wind behind me, my heart rate dropped to 130bpm but my form didn't feel as good as I was being pushed along. In the end I threw in the towel at 22km, the wind had worn me out. Has anyone else had experiences like that.
 
#2
Not on such a long run but a couple of years ago I was visiting New Zealand and the wind was such in Wellington that I had to put on VFF to protect my soles on the downwind leg as there was no way to avoid being slid over the road surface. After we'd turned around it took us about 12 minutes to cover 400 yards as we approached a coastal headland where the wind was roaring through a gap.

The 95 lb woman I was with was literally hauling herself along a guardrail to make progress! I can't recall my heart rate but I'm sure the max was very high!

I do recall that the post-run libations were very welcome!
 
#4
Alls I know is that it's a lot easier running into a headwind than riding a bicycle into one. I once faced a stiff headwind for nine days straight cycling from Namibia to Capetown. It was mental agony. At times I wondered how much more frustration I could take. With running though, I kind of embrace the elements, since it's just for a short time and for fitness purposes. For wind I find it helpful to squat down the hips a bit and bend the knees into more of a sports stance, for greater balance and stability.
 
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#5
Gawd, I hate running in the wind. Here at the arse end of the Columbia River Gorge we do get our share of windy days. It can sap my energy like nobody's business. I'd rather do 10 3-mile hill repeats (Which I could nevereverever do) back to back than run on super windy days. When i run at my Sis-and-Bro-in-law's place in Eastern Washington I am in misery and feel like the worst runner ever, because the wind never stops, it just shifts directions. It's the only place I've had a headwind my entire out-and-back route.
 
#7
DNEchris said:
Not on such a long run but a couple of years ago I was visiting New Zealand and the wind was such in Wellington that I had to put on VFF to protect my soles on the downwind leg as there was no way to avoid being slid over the road surface. After we'd turned around it took us about 12 minutes to cover 400 yards as we approached a coastal headland where the wind was roaring through a gap.

The 95 lb woman I was with was literally hauling herself along a guardrail to make progress! I can't recall my heart rate but I'm sure the max was very high!

I do recall that the post-run libations were very welcome!
Click to expand...

Just to show that it's not like that *all* the time in Wellington! The view from my run today - a lovely calm day

Wellington.jpg

It does get very windy here though!
 
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#8
I love running in the wind! The prevailing wind means 90+% of the time I'm running into it on the way out on my normal run - I love that real fight with the elements to get me going, then it's a case of turning around & flying back, sometimes in literally half the time. If it's blowing in the other direction it kills me!
I can see it'll never work if you're trying to keep your heart rate down.
 
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#10
wind = a very unhappy Willie G ... it's the only element that really discourages me and takes the enjoyment out of running. I hate tailwinds because I know the headwind is lurking around the next bend.

I'd rather run barefoot through an uphill field of fresh buffalo poo in an acid rain downpour than a few hundred meters into a headwind on a flat road.

(yeah, I've been reading The Oatmeal again lol)
 
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#11
I love running into a headwind...unless it is a race and I'm going for time. haha. To me, running into the wind is like running up a hill. It is a challenge to be conquered. Also, it tends to help cool me off and I like to remove my sunglasses to allow some of the sweat to dry. hahaha. There is often a some sort of wind here. It can change in just a matter of a few minutes in intensity and direction, so there have been times where I ran one direction into the wind, turned around, and found myself running into a headwind heading back. That can be a little disheartening, but it is a good workout.
 
#12
I look forward to typhoons just so I can get a good workout heading into the wind and also being pushed by the wind. However, I do limit the runs to 2 hours because they can become quite exhausting and I wouldn't want to have to walk home in a typhoon.
 
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#14
I rarely face the winds some of you are talking about, but when I have to, I just make allowances. I'm not going to kill myself with a 25km run, regardless of conditions.

Neil, you show uncommon good sense adjusting your run to reflect your true effort rather than your milage. Actually, I can pick my course to provide shelter from winds most of the time.

Now you have me worrying about my upcoming races in October and November, wherein I don't have the luxury of waiting out or sidestepping the day's weather.
 
#15
Hi Joseph,
I think you get a feeling when to throw in the towel when you're out running. I should have gone for a run tonight, I had an internal mental argument and didn't go in the end as my calves were sore from doing some eccentric calf drops at the gym on Sunday. I could have forced myself out but I think my body was subconsciously saying, no, don't do it, might strain the calf muscle.
As others have said, I don't mind running into the wind but if it's too strong it will stuff up your form on the way back.
 
#16
On a different tack (pause for the sailing pun to sink in...) any wind affects my form, as the degree of lean forward from my ankle level determines the core and consistency of my pace. Any change in ground elevation has the same effect, requiring me to make continuous micro-adjustments to keep my relative angle to the ground (accounting for surface irregularities and changes as well as windage) in order to maintain my target pace.
 
#17
Phil Hart said:
On a different tack (pause for the sailing pun to sink in...) any wind affects my form, as the degree of lean forward from my ankle level determines the core and consistency of my pace. Any change in ground elevation has the same effect, requiring me to make continuous micro-adjustments to keep my relative angle to the ground (accounting for surface irregularities and changes as well as windage) in order to maintain my target pace.
Click to expand...
Yep....but I love the elements that push us to adapt...Its like the difference between driving a stick or automatic vehicle.
Wind and other elements keep you thinking and adjusting. Makes for a fun challenge. I used to love the wind in races because I knew how much it made the other competitors want to race that much less. =)
But that's just the competitive side of me....lol
 
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#18
...another good reason to favor trail running. I don't have many trails near me that go the same direction in an exposed area for long enough to get awkward. Most are buried in woods or terrain so rough it makes the wind seem only a minor element.
 
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#20
Didn't get freezing rain in Tucson often, but would have rain and puddles with it being around 35 deg F. I agree, that sucks! Better not have any of those days here...haha.
 
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