Tips for Running in the Heat
Feeling frustrated with running in the heat? Feeling like you can’t run as fast or as far as you were in the spring? That’s completely normal! Running in the heat definitely adds extra stress on your body and it’s a good idea to modify your approach and expectations to accomodate the heat.
The most important thing is to give yourself some grace! It’s completely normal to run slower and shorter in the summer; in fact, it’s a good idea! Your body is under a lot of stress to stay cool and hydrated when it’s super hot out and you don’t want to add too much stress by running too far or fast. If you overload your body with too much stress, you won’t be able to adequately recover and therefore will not see improvements in your fitness. Aim for quality over quantity in your mileage, and trust that you will see the gains when the temperature cools.
Tip #1: HYDRATE! Don’t wait until you are ready to run to drink some water. Start sipping as soon as you wake up in the morning, and try to continually take in water throughout the day. If you are a morning runner, make sure to stay hydrated through the evening before bed so you can be as hydrated as possible when you wake up. If you find that you can’t be hydrated enough before your run, make sure you carry water and sip throughout the run - sipping is much more useful than waiting until you are thirsty and guzzling down the water! Also, make sure you continue to drink water after running. Consider a sports beverage* with electrolytes as well, since you will need to replenish both the water and the salt you lost in sweat.
Tip #2: Pick a shadier route. If you have a trail or rail trail nearby, that would be perfect! But of course not everybody has that option. If roads are your only option, try running intervals based off of the sun & shade. Fast in the sun to get it over with, slow in the shade to recover; or fast in the shade where it’s cooler, and slower in the sun where it’s hot. If shade isn’t an option, try running fewer miles at a time. Maybe you’ll need to run two 3 mile runs instead of one 6 mile run, with a break at home to cool off and hydrate in between.
Tip #3: Run at a different time of day. Afternoon is my preferred time of day to run, but the afternoons are pretty hot at this time of year! And sometimes the evenings are just as hot, or worse. It’s generally cooler in the mornings, but if you live anywhere known for humidity, that tends to be the worst early in the morning. That leaves dusk to dark as the best time to run, but if you’re like me you’re probably ready to just relax by that time of day! Your best bet is probably to choose the humidity in the morning or run at night and hope you can still wind down in time for bed.
Tip #4: Choose your clothing wisely. Few things are worse than running in a soaking wet cotton shirt- they get heavy and are also likely to chafe! Choose super lightweight and moisture wicking clothing whenever possible, and if you’re comfortable running without a shirt, I say go for it! Your comfort when running is far more important than others’ opinions about whether or not it’s acceptable to run shirtless. A hat is a good idea not only to shade your face, but also to soak up some of the sweat before it drips into your eyes. If you’ve ever gotten post-run sweat in your eyes, you know the pain is real!
Tip #5: Pay attention to your heart rate. It’s going to be higher in the heat than it is during cooler weather. This is normal, and not something to worry about unless it is super high and not coming back down. As long as it seems reasonably higher than normal, it is ok to continue running and just know that it will come back down again when temperatures cool. If it seems unreasonably higher, I’d advise running slower. It may not result in the pace you prefer to run, but it will be better for you in the end. Your recovery will go a lot better if you aren’t completely overtaxing yourself.
*My personal favorite is Tailwind Nutrition, but there a lots of options out there!
