7 Tips For Running In The Heat

This is a guest post from Joe of Joe The Runner.Check out his blog for some great tips on all aspects of running.

Summer is here. Maybe not officially but Texas has already seen 90 degree days, and it wonÂ’t be long until the mercury is in the triple digits.

Summer brings great times, cookouts, and longer days. It also brings heat. For some runners treadmill training suffices during particularly hot or cold times of year. For others itÂ’s just too tough to give up our time on the road or trail. Of all the difficulties running brings, the heat could be the biggest foe. So for those of us that canÂ’t stay off our feet this means adapting, coping, and playing it safe when the temperature is high.

But whatÂ’s so bad about hot weather? There are really two separate issues that excessive heat can exacerbate – dehydration and overheating (heatstroke). Overheating is when your bodyÂ’s internal thermostat is overloaded and you canÂ’t produce and evaporate enough sweat to keep your core temperature down. This is double trouble for runners because exercise redirects blood to your muscles. But in order to cool you off, blood needs to be passing under your skin. Simply drinking large quantities of water is not always enough to stay cool.

But we do need water. The warmer your body is, the more sweat you produce. Since sweat is mostly water, the more you sweat, the greater your chances of dehydration.

Sweating also causes a loss of salt and other electrolytes which makes supplementing water intake with a sports drink particularly important.

Here are some of the things I have learned over 14 Texas summers of running:

1. DonÂ’t go shirtless. High tech fabrics work better than no fabric at keeping your body cool. They draw moisture away from you body where it can evaporate quickly and contribute to your cooling.
2. In summer months I try to drink around 20-30 ounces of water during every hour of running. ThatÂ’s in addition to my daily water intake goal of 100-120 ounces. Carrying water with you or stashing along your route becomes a must.
3. Wear sunglasses and a visor. IÂ’m bald, bald guys donÂ’t look great in visors, so that should further my assertion they help with the heat. Visors allow heat to escape while providing shade to your face.
4. Timing is everything. Early morning running is about the only way I can make it happen from mid July through September. The air seems cleaner at this time too and itÂ’s an incredible way to start a day.
5. I always try to get a little extra sodium in my diet during the summer training season. An extra handful of pretzels and a Gatorade have plenty of salt to keep electrolytes in check.
6. Watch your pee. Gross I know, but itÂ’s a great indicator of how hydrated you are. If itÂ’s particularly dark or off color you may not be getting enough water.
7. Pour water on your head. You lose up to 70% of your heat through your head. Dousing yourself with cold water is a great way to remove extra heat.

Even the most well adapted warm weather runners will feel the effects of increased temperatures. Almost everyone runs better, and faster in cooler weather. Dehydration and heatstroke are serious conditions, but with proactive planning and caution you donÂ’t have to let the heat bring your running to a halt. Most importantly there is no substitute for common sense so watch the heat index charts and always be careful.

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