Running when it is hotter than balls

MisMolly
MisMolly Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have any tips or clever ways to get through your run when it is this hot? I don't want to forgo my runs, but I am already sweating like a *kitten* in church while I am only doing house and office type work. I stay insanely hydrated and try to run in the evening, but it doesn't seem to cool off til well after dark and I am not Ok with jogging on my unlit country roads after dark. Any ideas?
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Replies

  • hockeyman28
    hockeyman28 Posts: 136
    I got treadmill, but I know that isnt an option for everyone, and i prefer outside as well, so I will be interested to hear.
  • Nishka09
    Nishka09 Posts: 33
    I don't know how to deal with this either, I usually feel like puking after 1 mile. All that has helped me is to go real slow....
  • aLatz13
    aLatz13 Posts: 60 Member
    Have you considered running in the mornings? Not sure where you are - here it's almost 20 degrees cooler in the mornings, but we're up and running at 5 or 6 am. It helps if you have someone to get up with you, it makes it harder to hit the snooze button when you know someone is waiting on you
  • nukehiker
    nukehiker Posts: 457
    Woot Woot ! love the sweating like a *kitten* in church comment. happens to be my favorite quote !! as for running whens its so damm hot, maybe early am ?
  • Panda_Jack
    Panda_Jack Posts: 829 Member
    If you feel ok doing it... drive your route first and stash frozen water bottles along it, or small coolers with bandanas packed with ice.
    That way when you run your course you can grab those along the way.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Run inside :)
  • Hova1914
    Hova1914 Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • Syreeta6
    Syreeta6 Posts: 377 Member
    lmbo
  • KatherineVictoria
    KatherineVictoria Posts: 68
    Just hydrate. It's really all you can do. constantly. It would be advisable to take a bottle of water on your run with you. And on insanely hot days I typically shorten my run and do a little more walking. You have to be very, very careful in these conditions.
  • skinnybearlyndsay
    skinnybearlyndsay Posts: 798 Member
    I don't run (yet), but I've been walking early in the mornings (think at the crack of dawn - a little dark, but you can see). It's been pretty cool, but this morning was like walking in soup. This morning compared to when I work out in the evenings, though, feels a thousand times cooler.
  • tawojcik
    tawojcik Posts: 67
    I have succumbed to the treadmill this week. Here in SC, the heat index has been 90 degrees or higher at 10 or 11 at night (and between 105-115 during the day) with about 75-80% humidity....the heat index drops to the mid 80's early in the morning with about 60% humidity, but still....
  • JPayne53
    JPayne53 Posts: 235 Member
    For safety reasons right now with the horrible heat wave over the country (some places worse than others depending where you are in the nation).. I'd recommend finding a treadmill, run indoors.. Is there a local gym you can attend? I've found some gyms also have an indoor track...It is definitely not the same experience as running out doors but at least you are still exercising and not killing yourself.
  • ukhennin
    ukhennin Posts: 221 Member
    I think staying hydrated is the most important part. I just read a really interesting article in runners world about different strategies to beat the heat. But most of them required things like ice vests. One thing they did was to down a slushie from 7-11 about 20 or 30 minutes before running. It sort of helps cool from the inside I guess. I'm not sure if I'd go that far though.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    I live in Houston and it's been hot forever it seems. I make sure I get out there before 7am to run, sun rises here at 6:30 but I sometimes hit the snooze too many times to get out then! But I have also run in the evening and find that the morning is much cooler. I bring ice water with me and listen to my ipod and try NOT to think about how hot and humid it is.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    I just got back about 30 minutes ago from running 5.6 miles in 93 degree heat....that's at 8:30am. The heat index was something like 100 degrees.

    They key is just hydration and controlled breathing.

    I sweated like crazy...I love it though. If you can't do it, then take water with you. Next time I will do that. I went from a 10:15 mile to like a 14 minute mile in the last two because I was getting fatigued.

    I did manage an 11:40 mpm overall, so I was still pretty happy with that.
  • tawojcik
    tawojcik Posts: 67
    If you feel ok doing it... drive your route first and stash frozen water bottles along it, or small coolers with bandanas packed with ice.
    That way when you run your course you can grab those along the way.

    Love this idea, I do something similar....one "lap" around my neighborhood is a mile....so every mile, I am back at my house. I keep my ice cold drink in my mail box sometimes!
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    I do intervals and always have water with me. P_J's idea is good if you can do it. I run on a trail, so I can't, but today I plan to keep my run short and sweet.
  • crazytxmom
    crazytxmom Posts: 166 Member
    I'm not sure where you are, but here in North Central Texas we've had 19 straight days of 100 degrees or more. It only gets down to the low- to mid-80s at night.

    I try to get out EARLY. The sun comes up around 6:30ish. It's still in the mid-80s then and somewhat comfortable for the next few hours. In the evening it's just beginning to cool off as the sun goes down.

    Best of luck! I'd wish for cooler weather for you, but it's not doing us any good either.
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
    Morning or evening, it's still been hotter than hades around here! I did 6 miles this morning. I brought my water belt, filled to the brim and drank all 32 ounces throughout the run. Also I just ran, didn't worry about pace, and kept a close eye on my HRM. It was pretty much maxed out the whole time, so I didn't push for pace or anything. Just wanted to finish, which I did. Took a while to cool down, but now that I'm home and cool and showered, I feel great! I wouldn't hesitate to add a few walk breaks too, just for recovery and water drinking. Not worth a heat stroke!!!! Going early in the day (or late) is better too since you don't have the super high sun... more shady and slightly, slightly cooler. The breeze my last mile felt amazing... but still hot!
  • fzyfrog
    fzyfrog Posts: 456 Member
    I would invest in a fuel belt. Freeze a couple of the bottles before hand and they'll melt to icey cold water as you run. Is there any shade you can also run in? I also run in evenings when it's hotter than balls because 1. I'm not a morning person and 2. Even though the temp might be lower, the humidity is usually about 20% higher in the am than in the pm. I'd rather run in hot and less humid than in air so thick you can cut it with a knife!

    Good luck!

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