Cool Running: You Can Beat the Heat

By Jody Smith HERWriter

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Going for a run on a warm summer day can be a wonderful experience. But when summer temperatures soar and humidity blooms, be ready to make some adjustments.

Running in hot, humid weather causes your heart rate to elevate, and your breathing to become more rapid than usual. Your body is working harder than normal.

But don't worry. You can still run, you just have to run smart.

Water in, water out. Translation -- You need to drink alot of water to make up for all the sweating you're going to be doing.

Drink early and often. In order to consume enough water to stay hydrated, you should start drinking before you start to exercise.

Continue in this endeavor throughout your exercise time, and carry on after you are done working out.

Don't just drink the water. Splash it on your head, and on your body to help with the cooling down that's so important for your body.

Stephanie Naulls, a kinesiologist at Women's College Hospital, said that if you stay hydrated, you will avoid injury and muscle cramps. You will have less fatigue and will recover more quickly from the exertion of your workout.

Clothing that is light in color, light in weight and loose in fit will enable you to cool off naturally, and will let your body breathe.

Cotton is often recommended for this. Turns out though that synthetic materials may do a superior job of wicking away the moisture.

Sunglasses that will filter out UVA rays and UVB rays will protect your eyes from damaging effects of the sun.

Time your runs carefully. If you can run before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. so much the better. This way you will avoid being exposed to the sun at its greatest intensity.

If you can't work around these hours, try to shade yourself from the sun by running along tree-lined trails.

Naull recommended spending 5 to 10 minutes warming up, and another 5 to 50 minutes cooling down after your exercise period.

She advised preceding a morning workout by eating a light breakfast accompanied by a glass of water.

Naull said that exercising in or near water can keep things cool. Consider swimming or walking by the water.

Be realistic on days when it's just too hot to be outside exerting yourself. On days that are extremely hot and humid, or days that are marked with a poor air quality index.

Active.com said that it takes two weeks to become adjusted to the temperatures and start becoming more efficient at cooling.

Allow for this adjustment to take place. Don't hurry it. It will pay off for you.

Sources:

Tips for Running in Hot Weather. About.com
http://running.about.com/od/hotweatherrunning/tp/Tips-for-Running-in-Hea...

Summer guide for warm weather workouts. Womenshealthmatters.ca.
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/ask-the-expert/question-of-health/summ...

6 Tips to Run Through the Heat. Active.com.
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/6-Tips-to-Run-Through-the-Heat.htm

Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.