12 Tips for Running in the Heat
Running in the summer heat places tremendous stress on your body, raising your body temperature, increasing your heart rate, and causing you to sweat more. It is essential to take proper steps to ensure safe summer runs that enhance your running skill without overtaxing your body or leading to heat-related illness. Check out our 12 tips for running safely in the heat!
How the Heat Affects Your Body When Running
Running in the heat places significant stress on your body. When you run in the heat, your overall body temperature increases, which causes your heart rate to rise. Your heart rate spikes as your body works to combat the effects of overheating and diverts energy away from your muscles to focus on cooling the body down. Your blood is, therefore, less available to transport oxygen to your working muscles, meaning you have less energy to exert during your run.
Running in the heat also causes massive sweating and loss of fluid and minerals which can lead to dehydration and a reduced ability to sweat and manage your body temperature. Running in humidity adds additional stress to the body as it prevents the body from cooling down because sweat can’t evaporate effectively in humidity. In humidity with temperatures between 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, heart rate can increase up to 10 beats per minute. Research has shown time to exhaustion in hot conditions is reduced by 45% compared to lower temperatures.
Recovery after a run in the heat is more challenging as your body needs to spend more energy on cooling down rather than delivering nutrients to the exhausted muscles, nutrients the muscles need to repair the damage from exercise.
Tips for Safe Summer Runs in the Heat
Running in the summer heat places tremendous stress on your body and can even lead to dangerous heat exhaustion or stroke if precautions are not taken. It is essential to take the proper steps to ensure a safe summer run that enhances your running skill without overtaxing your body.
Here are 12 tips for your summer runs:
Wear light-colored loose-fitting shirts and shorts to allow air to pass over and cool the skin. Wear clothes made of moisture-wicking fabric like polyester to improve evaporation of sweat and avoid cotton garments that can become heavy and wet, trapping heat against the body.
Wear a visor or breathable hat to allow the head to release heat while shading your face from the sun. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun.
Wear waterproof sunscreen. Sweat is mainly water and when it evaporates, it cools your skin, blood vessels, and overall temperature. Waterproof sunscreen will protect your skin from sun exposure as you sweat and prevent clogging of your pores which can make it harder for your body to sweat.
Hydrate before, during, and after your run, drinking both water and electrolyte-enriched fluids (sodium loss when sweating can lead to muscle cramps).
Avoid running on hot pavement that absorbs heat. Instead, run on park trails in the leafy shade.
Allow your body to adapt to running in hot temperatures over a period of a few weeks. Start with shorter distances at low intensities to begin to acclimate your body to the weather, gradually increasing distance and intensity as your body can tolerate it.
Don’t use your pace as a guide when you run, but rather your effort and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). RPE is measured by assessing increases in heart rate, breath rate, muscle fatigue, and sweating.
Avoid the midday heat. Run early in the morning or later in the evening when the temperatures are cooler and there is less ozone in the atmosphere which can irritate your eyes and airways.
Eat nutritious foods, rich in vitamins and minerals such as vegetables, complex carbohydrates, fruit, and good quality protein, e.g. avocado, blueberries, quinoa, spinach, and coconut water.
Before running in the heat, cool down the body and active muscles with cold towels or an ice pack.
Cross train during the summer, such as biking or swimming, and plan rest days on the hottest days.
Stop running, rest, and rehydrate if you experience cramps and muscle spasms, dizziness or fainting, headaches, extreme fatigue, or skin that is cold and clammy or hot and dry as these symptoms can indicate heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
