Tips for Running in the Heat

Great water bottle for summer runs!

I started running when I was 15 years old when I was a sophomore in high school.  Over the past 15 years, I have learned a lot through my own trials and errors, advice from multiple coaches in high school and college, and reading Runner's World magazine. If you ran Cross Country in high school, I'm sure that many of you began your season in August with dreaded two-a-day workouts.  The first one was usually at 8am (still hot but usually not horrible), but that 3pm run could be a tough cookie in the end-of-summer sun.  My senior year, I remember one workout in particular where we were driven out to the Platte Center hills...namely a country road with absolutely no cover of shade from buildings or trees.  On this particular day, I think we were running 4 or 5 miles, but between the heat and probably not drinking enough water that day, I suffered what we guessed was heat exhaustion.  I felt dizzy, confused, disoriented, and was saying the weirdest things.  I remember getting taken back to the training room and being asked to count to 10 on my fingers.  After this incident, I was really nervous to get back out there but learned a few things that day. I am a big fan of my treadmill as it is always a great option for many reasons, but summer races take place outside in the heat and humidity.  So, unless you want to race horribly, running outside is vital if you want to acclimate your body to race conditions.

 Here is a list of things that you can do to keep yourself safe in the summer sun:

Run early or run late-  Obviously, temperatures are going to be lowest at these two times in the day.  Plus, there is something almost magical about running pre-dawn or at twilight.

Do short runs in the middle of the afternoon- I am a huge believer that running in tough conditions makes you a tougher runner.  That being said, if I run at 3pm, I typically only run 3 miles at an easy pace.

Drink lots of WATER throughout the day- This means water.  Not coffee. (I'm mostly typing that to myself and I sit here typing this blog and debating if I need yet another cup.)

Wear suncreen-  Skin cancer is a real thing and you (yes, YOU) are not immune to it.  Maybe this worked out for you in your teens and 20's, but c'mon.  We're much older (and wiser).  Take care of your skin.

If you are running long, take water with you- Camel packs, fuel belts, water bottles.  There are lots of options.

Dress right-  Light clothes are best as they don't suck in as much heat.  I would also stay away from cotton and opt for breathable tech gear.   Yesterday, I ran in the afternoon heat and sweat so much that it was dripping in my eyes.  After telling Philip about this, he pointed out that that's why he always wears a bandana around his head.  I am excited to wear my new headbands from Bolder Bands because I think it will really helps with this issue. (Philip is excited because it will keep my bangs away from my face.  I guess he doesn't like them...)

If you're in the middle of a hot run and don't feel right, STOP running.  Possibly hurting yourself over a training run is so not worth it.

I hope this list helps you to safely train over the summer.  Happy running!