any help with running in the heat?

I was going to say run early.....but you are already doing that. I would make sure you went into the run VERY hydrated. I would also take water with you. I think eating is a personal choice. Some need to before exercise, some can't before exercise and some it does not matter. If you do it-I would make it a light carb or dairy. Maybe a banana or a yogurt. Listen to your body! One day you may feel stronger than another-that is typical. Good Luck!

What I find helps with an early morning run, especially is if it's hot and humid, is to really hydrate the day before. If my normal daily intake would be 64 oz, then I might do 80 oz and have those last 16 oz near bed time. I also drink at least 8 oz as soon as I get up and eat at half of a banana to give me a little energy. I don't eat any more than that otherwise it doesn't sit well lol. Hope this helps! Afterwards I followup with chocolate milk - it's a great recovery drink! (I use 16 oz 2% milk w/4 tbsp ovaltine)

Here are some tips for running in the heat:
1. You're already doing this, but go early in the morning--as early as you can.
2. Wear a hat. Sun beating down on your head is a good way to work yourself into sunstroke.
3. Run in the shade as much as you can.
4. If you can afford to, get yourself moisture-wicking shirt, shorts, and socks. Target has a C9 by Champion line that is pretty good, and pretty affordable. Avoid cotton if you possibly can.
5. Pre-cool your body before you go out. Take a cold shower, or just sit in front of the air conditioner for 5-10 minutes. If you can get to the point where you're almost shivering, that's good.
6. Wet your head and hair before you head out. Wet your hat. Better yet, wet your hat and then freeze it. Anything to keep your head cool. If you run past a water fountain or anything, spray your face and neck with the water.
7. Since you're doing C25K, I assume your runs are not super long, so you probably do not need gatorade or anything like that. However, you should definitely be hydrating before your runs. Drink a lot of water the day before you go out for a run. Carrying water is definitely a good idea. Add ice cubes to it if you can. That way it'll be nice and cold when you drink it. Sip water while you're running, and then drink more when you are done. Weigh yourself before your workout and again after it. You should not lose any weight--certainly not more than 2% of your body weight. Drink more water until your weight comes back up to what it was pre-workout.
8. I have never tried this, but I've heard from people who say it works: wrap some ice cubes in a bandanna and tie it around your neck or put it under your hat.
9. Focus on effort rather than time or distance. You have to work harder to run in the heat, so you might need to go more slowly. Add more frequent walk breaks to allow your body to cool off a bit. It's okay if you can't finish the runs. Just repeat the week when things cool off.

In terms of eating before a run--that varies from person to person. I need to eat before a morning run, because otherwise I get very wobbly and dizzy partway through. Some people can do 13 miles on an empty stomach (definitely not me...). Experiment a bit to see what works best for you. I'd recommend, though, that you stick to something small and light, such as 1/4 c low fat yogurt, half a banana, or (this is nice in the summer) a few spoonfuls of fruit sorbet. Avoid a lot of fat, which can make your stomach upset.

Also, be alert for signs of heat exhaustion/heat stroke:
--severe nausea
--dizziness
--blurred vision
--lack of sweat (i.e., you stop sweating)
--flushed, hot, dry skin
--headache
--chills

If you have any of those symptoms, stop running and get somewhere cool as soon as you can.

Also, if it's an option for you, consider using a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym when it is truly awful outside :-)

It may take a little bit of experimenting to figure out what works for you. There have been posts before asking about drinking/eating before running and it has showed me that what works for one person doesn't work for everyone.

I know pretty much everyone before me said to drink a couple glasses of water before running, but if I do that (I also run first thing in the morning) I get stomach cramps and side-stitches about half way through my run. I don't get that if I just have a few sips of water before running.

I *do*, however, eat something before I run. Something light, like a banana, toast with pb, or yogurt with granola and fresh fruit. If I don't have something in my stomach I don't have the energy to complete the run.

I have the same issue of it being really hot while running and I'm lucky enough to be able to run on my apartment gym's treadmill so I can't be of too much help with that. Oh, and back to the water issue, I do bring my water bottle with me when I run on the treadmill but I sip from it maybe once or twice the entire time, usually just to help me recover from one of the longer stretches of running.

Good luck!

There are some brilliant tips here and I'm looking for my hat so I can put in in the freezer overnight.

Thanks x

Eat something small before you run or do any kind of exercise this will help fuel your body for the run. As for the heat. Do not wear cotton! Wear moisture wicking fabrics, drink lots of fluids the night before, and i would say wake up half hour earlier to help with the heat. Your body should get used to running in the heat though. When I was in the Army I was living in Arizona and even at 530 am it was 80-90 degrees. By the time we were done with our runs it would be over 100. Hydration is key to beating the heat. So like I said drink lots of water the day before!

In my unqualified opinion, you'll be setting yourself up for failure if you stand in front of an air-conditioning unit until you are freezing cold and then go out and run in the heat. You'd be better of sitting outside in the hot weather prior to running, so your body can acclimate to the current conditions.

I disagree. If you're talking about overall health--i.e., preventing heat stroke--it's all about keeping your core temperature down. If you start at a lower temperature, it takes longer to get overheated. (The "pre-cool" and "pre-warm" advice was advice I got from a professional trainer.) If you can lower your core temperature a bit before you go out and start exercising, you're less likely to end up overheated and in heat shock. Same thing in the cold--take a hot shower before you go out, and you're less likely to end up with frostbite or hypothermia. But, if sitting in the heat and sweating for half an hour before your run works for you, then I guess go for it... :-) I guess I don't actually have data one way or another, just advice from someone who's trained a lot of pro athletes.

That said, it is absolutely true that you need to give your body time to get acclimated to the heat. If you're used to running in 50 degrees, and then fly to Houston where it's 98 and humid, there's no way you'll be able to go out and run the same distance and speed without getting seriously ill, no matter how much you hydrate or wear special clothing. But if you're running outside most of the time as the weather heats up, and you take it slow when it it is really hot, you will give your body time to adjust.