Overheating immediately while running outside?

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TheWiseCat
TheWiseCat Posts: 297
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone had extreme problems with running outside in warm climates and resolved it? I want to clarify that by saying I'm fairly acclimated to my climate and have done physically demanding work outside for hours, repeatedly, with no notable problems. I can run inside on a treadmill (yes I know it's not the same as outside) with A/C and go 1 hour straight and feel perfect, but when I go outside the heat just kills me.

If I force myself to even run 30 minutes, I feel extremely sick,have headaches and feel like death for days afterwards. It's like in 20 minutes I can go from perfect to heat stroke, which doesn't seem right. I've ensured that I'm well hydrated and played with my diet to no avail. I want to go running outside, but it knocks me out of commission for days and turns my brain into soup. I can go outside and walk for hours at 3-4mph as well. It's when I go faster and generate more heat, I just burn up and can't get rid of it. Has anyone had this same issue?
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Replies

  • ennuifreezone
    ennuifreezone Posts: 20 Member
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    I have this same problem, and I haven't found a good solution. I started running on an indoor track, but if I have to run outside I try to run early early mornings to beat the heat. It's always hot and humid where I live though, so it's still hard to breathe sometimes. I think some people are more sensitive to heat than others.

    Anyway, sorry I don't have any helpful advice, but I hope you find something that works for you! I'll be watching to see if anyone else has a solution.
  • beccalucy
    beccalucy Posts: 250 Member
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    What do you wear to run outside? Do you attempt to run at the same pace you run indoors?

    Maybe try taking water with you and using it to cool the back of your neck and see if that helps?

    Sorry I don't have more helpful suggestions!
  • blt0087
    blt0087 Posts: 115
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    Try running at night or early in the morning. I'm the same way, and this Texas heat doesn't help..but I've started running at night right as the sun is going down and it helps a lot. It's still kind of humid, but at least the sun isn't beating down on me. I also take my water bottle with me and keep it somewhere along my route so when I run by it I can stop and take a quick water break.
  • jturnerx
    jturnerx Posts: 325 Member
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    I've run a trail 50k where I felt like I was running in an oven. Ice is your friend. Put ice in a bandana, roll it up and keep it around your neck. If you wear a running cap put a baggie with ice underneath. If you carry a water bottle put ice in it and it will provide a cooling effect.
  • clepant
    clepant Posts: 3,402 Member
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    I don't have quite that issue but I do heat up. Face is always red and I sweat bullets...not really. Anyway, I found that if I wear a Mission cool core bandana around my forehead or tie it around my neck. The cool temp helps lower my body temperature through the carotid arteries.
  • LearnFromTheRed
    LearnFromTheRed Posts: 294 Member
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    Yes - I have this problem even when it's just slightly warm! (And by 'slightly', I mean 17C today...which is ridiculous. 15C and I'm far happier.)

    I've taken to starting out with pre-soaked clothing, and/or dumping water down my back and shoulders en route. If it starts raining and I'm due to run, I'm straight out there so I can run through the puddles and cool my feet down...
  • thoma450
    thoma450 Posts: 11 Member
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    If you are running in the morning, you need to eat more (fruits, clean carbs, etc.) , which could help with the headaches, etc. in the heat. A 20 oz. pepsi is not going to get you through a solid run...
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
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    I'm extremely sensitive to heat, humidity and specifically sunshine. I run commute home at 4:30pm pushing my daughter in a jogger and this time of year, that can be pretty miserable for me. The biggest thing I do for my self is plan a shady route. The first 3 miles of my run are mostly shady, the last 2.2 are pretty exposed and very hilly, so I built walk breaks in on the hilly spots and the unbelievably sunny spots. It helps. Keeping a slower speed helps. Bringing water helps

    I also have a little gatorade or cocunut water with lemon juice about an hour before I leave. I was ending up with abnormal levels of salt deposits on my skin when I got in from my run home and figured that loss of salt is contributing to the problem. This helps too.
  • TheWiseCat
    TheWiseCat Posts: 297
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    If you are running in the morning, you need to eat more (fruits, clean carbs, etc.) , which could help with the headaches, etc. in the heat. A 20 oz. pepsi is not going to get you through a solid run...

    I run in the mornings on weekends and afternoons on weekdays. Also, as a general rule I can't eat within 3-4 hours of running or I'll be tasting it and stomach acid the entire time. Nevertheless, my dietary changes haven't shown any impacts. When I run, it's usually between 80-95F
  • TheWiseCat
    TheWiseCat Posts: 297
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    Yes - I have this problem even when it's just slightly warm! (And by 'slightly', I mean 17C today...which is ridiculous. 15C and I'm far happier.)

    I've taken to starting out with pre-soaked clothing, and/or dumping water down my back and shoulders en route. If it starts raining and I'm due to run, I'm straight out there so I can run through the puddles and cool my feet down...

    I'll definitely give this a shot. Pre-soaked clothing should hopefully keep me cool for a while.
  • TheWiseCat
    TheWiseCat Posts: 297
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    Try running at night or early in the morning. I'm the same way, and this Texas heat doesn't help..but I've started running at night right as the sun is going down and it helps a lot. It's still kind of humid, but at least the sun isn't beating down on me. I also take my water bottle with me and keep it somewhere along my route so when I run by it I can stop and take a quick water break.

    It may come to just having to run at night. I've avoided it due to schedule, but it's increasingly seeming like running in the daylight is a no-go for me. Florida's weather isn't much nicer.
  • blt0087
    blt0087 Posts: 115
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    Try running at night or early in the morning. I'm the same way, and this Texas heat doesn't help..but I've started running at night right as the sun is going down and it helps a lot. It's still kind of humid, but at least the sun isn't beating down on me. I also take my water bottle with me and keep it somewhere along my route so when I run by it I can stop and take a quick water break.

    It may come to just having to run at night. I've avoided it due to schedule, but it's increasingly seeming like running in the daylight is a no-go for me. Florida's weather isn't much nicer.

    Yuck, I couldn't imagine trying to run in FL. I went to Orlando one summer and the whole time my hair looked like a lion's mane :laugh: the humidity is horrible!
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,631 Member
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    Has anyone had extreme problems with running outside in warm climates and resolved it? I want to clarify that by saying I'm fairly acclimated to my climate and have done physically demanding work outside for hours, repeatedly, with no notable problems. I can run inside on a treadmill (yes I know it's not the same as outside) with A/C and go 1 hour straight and feel perfect, but when I go outside the heat just kills me.

    If I force myself to even run 30 minutes, I feel extremely sick,have headaches and feel like death for days afterwards. It's like in 20 minutes I can go from perfect to heat stroke, which doesn't seem right. I've ensured that I'm well hydrated and played with my diet to no avail. I want to go running outside, but it knocks me out of commission for days and turns my brain into soup. I can go outside and walk for hours at 3-4mph as well. It's when I go faster and generate more heat, I just burn up and can't get rid of it. Has anyone had this same issue?

    I too, find it difficult running in the heat. I always take juice with me and when I finish my run, I stand under a lukewarm shower for a while to bring my temperature down.

    Unfortunately, my heartrate can sometimes go through the roof when I run in the heat, I have now taken to running early morning or late afternoon when the heat is not so intense.
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
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    How are you breathing? Exhaling through your nose tends to keep heat in your body, thus making you warmer. Exhaling through your mouth will generally keep you cooler.
  • mspoopoo
    mspoopoo Posts: 500 Member
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    I notice you have Pepsi for breakfast often. Is that before or after a run?

    I just can't tolerate the heat anymore. I think my reasons are hormonal though.

    Like others said, run early before it gets too hot or late in the evening. Drink water before, during, and after. More than you would think. Find a shady route to run.

    I used to have to walk to work in 100 degree heat and I was very surprised the difference made from just walking where the buildings shaded the street and the wind blew off the ocean down the street rather than the other way with the sun blazing down on the sidewalks and no breeze.
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
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    Being in Texas (it's been 105 here most days lately) I can relate. The symptoms you describe sound just like heat exhaustion, and that's pretty dangerous. Unfortunately (and this is likely what has happened to you) once you get heat exhaustion, you are far more vulnerable to it in the future. So, I'm betting that there was one day that it was particularly hot or you worked yourself particularly hard and since then you can't tolerate heat as well.
    This can take up to a year to fully recover from, and continuing to run in the heat is the worst thing you can do. You are setting yourself up for heat stroke or a heart attack. If I were you I would run in environments (indoor or early in the day) that are in the 70s or low low 80s for the next 3 months or so and keep yourself as cool as possible, especially if you are working on building endurance. Then start running short distances (that 20 minutes you mentioned) once a week in the warmer temps, then twice a week, etc. Then increase to 21 minutes, and so on. Be super careful!!! There is not an easy fix and the stakes are pretty high.
  • running_free_1984
    running_free_1984 Posts: 115 Member
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    Summer in the uk has been a lot hotter than usual. I found the increase in temp hard to cope with at first but i just kept going and didn't shy away from the hotter times. I think the 'heat training' helped and i adapted. I still have to take enough fluids with me to use for distances over 4-5 miles.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I suck at heat. And it's hot here. I run when the temp is at it's lowest, just before the dawn. The sun doesn't help, so I run just before it comes up. Even then, if it doesn't dip below 70, I run inside.
  • ArtemisRuns
    ArtemisRuns Posts: 251 Member
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    I run in VA...not as hot as FL of course but it can be tough sometimes. I run in the morning but when school starts I am going to have to switch to afternoons/evenings. I found that in the afternoon/evening, if I haven't hydrated well during the day I have problems finishing my run. Once I had to stop after 1 mile b/c I had nausea, headache and dizziness. Once I came in and cooled down and drank water I was fine.

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