running in the heat!
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ninav1980
Posts: 514 Member
How do you guys do it? Im talking 97 degree heat with 100% humidity on some days.....
Im thinking of taking a hiatus from running until September. Its just so hot out there and its not worth it to have a heat stroke. I tried waiting until the sunset yesterday and I was still dripping-I think heat index was still around 90 when the sun set at around 8:20. Treadmills are a no go for me. So I might switch from running to swimming in the summer.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Im thinking of taking a hiatus from running until September. Its just so hot out there and its not worth it to have a heat stroke. I tried waiting until the sunset yesterday and I was still dripping-I think heat index was still around 90 when the sun set at around 8:20. Treadmills are a no go for me. So I might switch from running to swimming in the summer.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
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Replies
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I run early in the morning. Is that an option for you?0
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The earlier the better! It's amazing how much lower the temps are - 30 degrees lower some days! I run a loop through a park that has water fountains and lots of shade.0
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I struggle enough in 75+ weather! I can only second the suggestion to run early if you can.0
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I quit running during the summer and it sucked trying to get going again. I promised myself i would not quit this year. I am already starting to get acclimated to it. I run in the evenings, about an hour before sunset. It's not much cooler, but some. I go slower if i need to and take walk breaks if I need to, but I won't quit this time. I've heard you run more by effort in the heat..so obviously slower at first, and once you get acclimated, your pace will pick back up. I say keep plugging at it. Just stay hydrated.
ETA: it hasn't been 97 here yet, just 95, and it's about 88-90 when i run just before sunset...but it is 100% humidity. Georgia summers, ugh!0 -
I'm working on acclimating myself. I find that better hydration and a bit of gatorade go a long way. I also bought some really lightweight running tanks (actually they were in the yoga section, but it works) and capris with mesh panels at the hips and behind the knees which all help too.0
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It takes 3 weeks to acclimate to the heat. You have to slow down, usually 30 to 60 seconds per mile slower than your everyday pace. Once acclimated, your pace will return to where it was before (or pretty close to it). You won't die. You won't dehydrate. It's not Badwater, it's just a little warm. 0
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Trails. Get under some trees. It makes all the difference.0
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A few things....
If this kind of thing floats your boat, read this excellent four part series from the Science of Sport blog on heatstroke:
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/10/heat-stroke-dissected/
The cliff notes version of that is that it's very difficult to injure yourself by running in the heat. You can feel miserable and you might puke or pass out, but heat stroke is caused by misregulation of body temperature in the brain.
Then again, I don't know where you live and maybe you DO live in Death Valley. In that case, you can hurt yourself. A pretty well known endurance athlete did that a couple of years ago.
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/running/trail-running/Michael-Popovs-Last-Run.html
Anyhow here's what I do. When I start to feel miserable, I just stop. Stop completely, pause my watch, and sit under a tree until I feel better. I always do. Then I hit it again, and hard. I might stop three times during a six mile run if it's really miserable. Also, I bring money for a slurpee. Running with a slurpee = heaven.0 -
I run early in the morning. Is that an option for you?
not really, I have to be in the shower by 5:15am to be ready to leave for work in time, which means I would have to run earlier and in the dark, too scary for me0 -
thanks for the suggestions on stopping for a break. I honestly feel like a quitter when I break during my runs. I figure, if I have done it before without a break then I can do it this time. BUT, I can see its best to change my thought process if I wanna make it through the summer. I dont want to quit cold turkey and lose what Ive gained in endurance and distance. I am gonna look into portable gatorade as well.0
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I run in the heat and humidity of Mississippi day in and day out. Like Carson said, it takes a few weeks to acclimate to the weather but it is very do-able. Stay with it. Take water/Gatorade with you. I am training for a 50K in weather you just described. It CAN be done. Hang in there!0
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Trails. Get under some trees. It makes all the difference.
Since you have an irrational fear of running in the dark, I second this.0 -
It's been a challenge for me too here in Atlanta. Last summer (my first summer as a runner) was not very hot and it rained a lot. It got hot for only two months but those two months I was sidelined with a hip injury. So this is a new experience for me. I slow down when it's really hot and make a couple of water stops, even for a shorter run. I choose shady places to run like the local greenway or the trails, unless I'm doing a track workout where I am feeling the full force of the sun. I am hoping once I get acclimated it will get easier, and I also hope this makes me stronger for my marathon in November. I'll be used to all those hot weather long runs and the race should be in cooler weather.0
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Trails. Get under some trees. It makes all the difference.
Since you have an irrational fear of running in the dark, I second this.
safety first, not irrational fear0 -
I try to run in the early morning, or after dark. But really, I am transitioning to treadmill runs.0
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thanks for the suggestions on stopping for a break. I honestly feel like a quitter when I break during my runs. I figure, if I have done it before without a break then I can do it this time. BUT, I can see its best to change my thought process ....
Yes, this is exactly it. Changing thought processes. I stop a lot! (I'm not slow either. Faster than average.) For me, stopping and regrouping mentally, then running hard, is much better training than "perservering" through a bad run, slowly, and miserably. That's not to say that I stop and smell the roses on EVERY run. In fact, I don't on most of my runs. I just stop completely if I'm in a bad way.0 -
My favorite solution is running early (predawn) with a headlamp. If that's not possible, try running right before sunset (with a headlamp if you won't finish before sunset). Race the sunset, try to finish before the sun sets. Run where there is shade (trails/trees). Break your runs up into maybe 1 double run per week if that works (2 short ones instead of one long one). Shorter segments are better on hot days anyway. And if you have a treadmill or elliptical to finish a run on when the heat is blazing, there's no shame in finishing there. I do that when the heat & humidity are blasting me.0
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thanks for the suggestions on stopping for a break. I honestly feel like a quitter when I break during my runs. I figure, if I have done it before without a break then I can do it this time. BUT, I can see its best to change my thought process ....
Yes, this is exactly it. Changing thought processes. I stop a lot! (I'm not slow either. Faster than average.) For me, stopping and regrouping mentally, then running hard, is much better training than "perservering" through a bad run, slowly, and miserably. That's not to say that I stop and smell the roses on EVERY run. In fact, I don't on most of my runs. I just stop completely if I'm in a bad way.
thanks for this! I think this will help me enjoy it so much more. Currently, it feels like torture and all I can think of is drinking a big glass of water. Come to think of it, thats one of the main reasons I dont stop. I figure if I stop and walk it will take longer to get my water, lol0 -
thanks for the suggestions on stopping for a break. I honestly feel like a quitter when I break during my runs. I figure, if I have done it before without a break then I can do it this time. BUT, I can see its best to change my thought process if I wanna make it through the summer. I dont want to quit cold turkey and lose what Ive gained in endurance and distance. I am gonna look into portable gatorade as well.
Nope. I was stopping for a water break at the end of each mile on my last four mile run. It's a battle of attrition and I WILL PREVAIL.0 -
Trails. Get under some trees. It makes all the difference.
Since you have an irrational fear of running in the dark, I second this.
safety first, not irrational fear
Get some lights.0
