Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 66, January 2015 | Page 37

BRIGHT

Body Science

Ma

Outlook

As runners, we spend a fair amount of time in the sun doing what we love most, so we
need to be extra careful, but you may be surprised to hear that running in the sun also
does your body good, if you get the right amount of sun, and can even help you run
faster and further. – BY SEAN FALCONER
system being suppressed, increasing an athlete’s vulnerability to skin
damage, and this also makes athletes more susceptible to other skin
issues such as chafing and blistering.

THE RIGHT AMOUNT

However, getting some sun is vitally important to the body, for both
your mental and physical health. For starters, your body produces more
vitamin D when exposed to UVB rays, and not producing enough can
lead to depression, bone fractures, hypertension, autoimmune diseases
and cancer. Added to that, research coming out of the UK shows that the
skin houses large amounts of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels to
reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, and
sunlight activates the nitric oxide so that it can do its job.

I

Images: Fotolia

n this day and age, we all
know that we need to protect
ourselves from the sun, because
prolonged exposure can lead to
painful sunburn, age spots and
long-term damage, or in worst case
scenarios, skin cancer. Runners are
especially vulnerable to the ultraviolet
(UV) rays of the sun, and a recent study
published in Archives of Dermatology
found that marathon runners tend to
have more abnormal moles or age spots,
putting them at higher risk of skin cancer.
The researchers also found that besides sun
exposure, training for marathons and ultras over
an extended time period can lead to the immune

Which brings us to the part that most runners will love to hear: More
time in the sun may lead to faster race times, according to new research
presented at the 2014 American College of Sports Medicine Conference.
The study showed that cyclists exposed to 20 minutes of a UVA lamp
then completed a time trial faster than without the exposure, and the
researchers believe that the UVA rays helped to release more nitric oxide
from the skin to help more blood and oxygen flow to the muscles, which
helps athletes go harder and longer.

RUN IN THE SUN

So the message is that running in the sun is good for us, but we still
need to make sure we avoid getting burnt, by wearing sunscreen. While
sunscreen lowers your body’s production of vitamin D, your body will
still produce enough, according to a study conducted at King’s College
London’s St. John’s Institute of Dermatology. Studies are still being done
as to the effect of sunscreen on nitric oxide levels, but the reasearchers
think you’ll still likely enjoy some of the benefit of the sun even if you
apply sunscreen.
Added to that, athletes should still build up their immunological
defences to help safeguard against skin damage by getting enough rest
and recovery, and fuelling up with a well-balanced diet that includes
colourful vegetables rich in antioxidants. And regularly check for new or
changing moles.

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THE WORKOUT
4 ROUNDS OF 15 KETTLEBELL SWINGS AND 400M RUN, WITH 2-MINUTE REST
BETWEEN SETS
“The kettle bells bring in another strength component and you top that off with some running to bring an anaerobic
section for the body. Depending on how hard you push getting back into it, I would suggest going around 75 to 85% of
your ability. It’s simple, but it’s going to make you work. The biggest mistake I see is people take a complete break and
then getting back into it from where they left off. Start slow and lighter and take a week or two to get back to your pace.”

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