Tips for Running During A Heat Advisory
Y'all it is hot, and here are some things to keep in mind while running.
I am experiencing this heat wave in the Hampton Roads section of Virginia, but this pocket of uncomfortably hot weather is covering most of the Eastern United States. This weather pattern is bringing warm temperatures and high dew points, meaning that even though the ambient temperature is not over 100°—the heat index will eclipse 110°.
Not only does it pose a great threat to your average everyday people who may be outside for even just small amounts of time, but for runners and people trying to get in physical movement activities it can be especially dangerous and even deadly—but really not trying to scare anyone.
I know several well-respected folks who put out their regular “tips for running in heat,” and sometimes I hate to add my voice in the mix to annoy you all with these “tips and tricks” posts, but for this one, I think getting this information as broadly as possible is important.
Therefore here are some of my tips for taking care of yourself and still getting miles when it is this oppressively hot out.
Some Tips
Know Your Weather
Yea, this one may seem duh, but it really is the first thing you really need to pay attention to. Now, I know there is the old adage—”It’s not the heat, but the humidity”—and there is a lot to that, but understanding what these are is even more important. As I mentioned above, the regular ambient temperature is supposed to be below 100° all week in my area (many of y’all in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas may chuckle at that when your temps are regularly over 105°). However, we need to understand the danger in both. For my area—the Eastern Seaboard—it really is the humidity that will sneak up on you. While the air temp may only be 95°, with a dew point that is in the mid-upper 70’s your body could think the temperature is well over 110°. So know what the weather is going to be, and those weird weather patterns (look at dew point AND humidity as a pair), to help you make your decisions.
Stay Hydrated
Again, not an outlandish idea—you should be doing this year-round. However, one of the things I impress on many of the kids I coach is that if you are waiting until practice (or waiting until you are hot) to begin drinking water, you are already gravely behind. Make sure—no matter the time of day you run—that you are hydrating throughout the day. The general consensus is around drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day (for a 200-lb person that is 100ozs of water). However, when it is hotter outside, even sitting outside can cause you to lose hydration, so set that as a baseline and adjust as you need throughout the day—especially if you go for a run. Also, know that hydration shouldn’t be just water. You need to make sure you are drinking electrolytes to replenish the ones you lose from running—especially if you are an overly sweaty runner —like me.
Wear Proper Gear—and don’t Forget Sunscreen
Make sure the gear you are wearing is suitable for summer and warm-weather running. I know folks will run with shirts (for women, I know that means sports bras), and the clothing you do wear should more often try to be lighter in color and should have some kind of moisture-wicking (and quick-drying for that matter) technology. This helps dissipate sweat and keep your body cooler. Hats and sunglasses are essential to help protect your eyes—and even the top of your head. And don’t forget to put on sunscreen, and have a plan to reapply if you are going to be out for a while. I would suggest a sunscreen that is sport-safe, and won’t come off when you start sweating—which also means applying it enough in advance for it to be effective as well.
You Need To Acclimate
Even without oppressive heat warnings, it can take almost 2 weeks for your body to adapt to warmer temperatures. Now, I don’t know that I ever actually acclimate, but I’ll play along, haha. You cannot expect to feel great in the heat, and you will need to adjust in your first handful of runs (talk more about that in the last point). However, take the proper time for your body to acclimate to the change in weather, and listen to your body when it comes to getting in runs. If you’re listening more to your watch, then you may hurt yourself by going to hard.
Adjust timing, pace, and even expectations.
OK, this one probably should be higher—and this is why I am thankful this isn’t a ranked list. You will not be able to run the same way you run when it is in the 50’s or 60’s. You are going to need to adjust either how long, how hard, or even what you are trying to get from a run. You may even need to opt to NOT run, because the conditions are downright unsafe for activities outside. In hotter conditions, such as the ones we are experiencing on the East Coast, you probably should be taking between 60-90 secs/mi off your regular pace. And depending on how hot it actually is, you really should consider not running—especially at certain times of day. You might even need to turn a 30 min run into a 20 min run, or a 5 mile run into a 3 mile run. The name of the game right now is giving yourself grace and being flexible to stay safe.
Got any others? Leave a comment and share with the community!
Closing
There are numerous more things that could be considered in this list, but these are just a few that I often mentally work myself through as I plan my own running schedule.
I get it; it can be tough in these conditions. As runners, many of us desperately want to run. However, we must also consider at what cost we are doing so.
Can we adjust to run at safer times of day?—I will identify this as safety in terms of weather—and add that for many it is tough to balance this with other forms of safety on the run, which sucks to have to consider in our world.
Can we adjust our training to meet the exertion we will be giving given the temperatures?
Make sure you are aware of what is happening in your area, and take any necessary steps needed to get your run in in a safe and healthy manner. We have a running bit at our run club that the first rule of our run club is, “Don’t die.” We then joke and jest that if you break the rule of the run club, you are out of the run —a sad and morbid reality and one I hope we never have to deal with.
So make sure to care for yourselves, and make every mile count.
Very true! Here in Florida my run off the bike was 101 feels like and it's oppressive. I'm actually writing a post today with some of my tips for running in the heat!