Six Strategies for Running in Hot Conditions
Well, it’s that time of year. The heat is back and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. While on my run this morning, I was mostly trying to survive, but I was also thinking about all the runners I know who’ll be going out to get their miles in this week. In general, there’s no escaping uncomfortable running during a southern summer. There’s currently severe heat warnings in multiple parts of the country and it’s literally dangerous to run in these conditions if you’re not extremely careful. So, here are a few tips and tricks for feeling your best during summer runs.
Always bring something to drink
You’ll never see me without a water bottle- even on runs under an hour. She’s my support buddy at all times of the year. For some reason, runners have gotten into the habit of fueling as little as possible to “get through” their runs. But, why are we just trying to get through? Making sure we give the body what it needs during a run improves recovery, and in heat like we’re experiencing right now, it can help prevent dehydration and heat sickness.
Fill your water bottle up to the top with ice before adding water/gatorade/whatever you’re drinking
Speaking of bringing water on every run. Fill that baby up with ice first. All the way to the top of your water bottle. Yes, the ice will melt through the run, but drinking cold water helps cool our body down. When it feels like 90+ degrees out, every little bit helps. Also, if you’re only filling your bottle with water, a nice cold squirt over your head always feels nice when it’s hot. Especially since you silly southerners never have your sprinklers on for us to run through.
Think about changing your schedule
This can be challenging for a number of reasons, but running earlier in the morning or later in the evening helps keep us out of the worst temps of the day. I know I’ll get people saying, but what about heat acclimation? I’m for heat training when it’s safe, but it’s supposed to feel like 105+ degrees in Nashville right now. So, I’d rather you run early in the morning or late evening and safely get through your run than for you to end up dehydrated and underrecovered for days. Training is important but not as important as your long term health.
Find shade when you can
Can we sense a theme here? Running in a shaded area is another way to keep us a bit cooler and more comfortable during summer runs. Most people are more likely to get their runs/workouts in if they don’t feel like they’re going to faint. Big fan of staying upright over here. I highly recommend shaded runs if you’re unable to change your schedule around and run during the cooler hours of the day.
Wear an ice bandana
This tip was shared with me by the trail running queen, Jewly Hight. Soak a bandana in water and put it in the fridge/freezer for a while (not so long that it’s too frozen to be able to tie around your neck). Wear this during the run in order to stay a bit cooler. Cold water on your head, neck, wrists, and ankles helps cool us down the quickest.
It’s okay to skip a run
I’m all for consistency, but sometimes it’s the smart decision to skip a run. If you don’t have the luxury of changing your schedule to get runs in later in the day, can’t find a shaded spot, or the temps are oppressive, it might be the right choice to skip a run. Heat illness is no joke. I’ve worked with a couple of runners who ended up dealing with heat stroke and it took MONTHS for them to get back to normal. Severe heat illness symptoms alter our electrolytes and that can wreak havoc on other bodily systems.
As I’ve mentioned above, heat illness (heat exhaustion and heat stroke), are major medical issues that can be life threatening. They’re more likely to affect runners, especially if you don’t utilize strategies to help regulate your body temperature while running. I hope the tips above help make you a little more comfortable if you’re running outdoors this summer. Keeping runners healthy is really important to me. That means avoiding putting yourself in situations that can compromise your wellness.
Please look at the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke below, and reach out to a medical provider if you need help.
Heat Stroke
Confusion, altered mental state, slurred speech
Loss of consciousness
Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
Very high body temperature
*Can be fatal if treatment is delayed
Heat Exhaustion
Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Weakness
Irritability
Thirst
Heavy sweating
Elevated body temp
Decreased urine output
Stay safe this summer! Hope to see you out on the greenway.
Resources:
CDC- Center for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/heat-stress/about/illnesses.html
