Filed under: Events, Running Tips | Tags: heat, hot running, running, summertime
Running in hot weather can be miserable – or you can have fun with it. NBR shared some tips on running through the hot weather at a recent salon.
- Bring lots of cold water
- Cold water is absorbed faster into your system
- You can sweat up to 3 liters an hour – but only absorb 1 liter at most in an hour.
- Don’t drink lots of water just when running – drink plenty before and after.
- Cherie’s secret: Bring a sports bottle of water into the shower. While you’re rinsing off, hydrate!
- Salt up!
- If you don’t eat a lot of processed foods, salt your food.
- Drink sports drinks.
- Take endurolytes or scaps for long, hot runs.
- Wear light colors
- Wear wicking fabrics – cotton gets gross and wet, and then you chafe.
- Cover up so you can avoid sunburn!
- Wear sports sunscreen
- Wear hats/visor and sunglasses to protect your face of sun
- Respect your limits – you might not be able to run as fast. That’s okay.
- It takes a while to acclimate so be patient at the start of hot weather running.
- You can also use a sauna to acclimate.
- It’s okay to back off for cut a run short. Go and get some ice water (or ice cream!) instead.
- Pouring water over your head lowers your heart rate 5 beats per minute for 5 minutes afterwards.
- Hit up the water fountains in parks – and run through the sprinkles and fire hydrants whenever possible.
- Non-alcoholic beers is supposed to help rehydrate you (though NBR always tells me that alcoholic beer is what works!)
–Cherie
Right now, I’m LOVING this heat. It’s great for heat training. I’m training for the Vermont 100 Miler, and it has been known to be QUITE hot during this race. I’m taking advantage of the hot temperatures to train in the heat of it – so if it is this hot, I’ll be ready. I also have the Burning Man Ultramarathon on September 1st, so I want to be ready for however hot it will be.
The key word here is acclimate. I have been slowly building myself up and am looking forward to running home from work tomorrow. I hope it is at least 95 when I’m running home. I run slower than usual, and carry cold water (which is inevitably warm by the end, but what can you do?). Water is very important.
A bunch of my friends are running the Badwater Ultramarathon – the training they’re doing is insane. I’ve done some elements of their training, to a lesser degree. My friend Tony has been spending time in saunas of 207 degrees. I did some sauna training and found it very helpful. I bring a book, some water, and sweat like crazy for 20 minutes.
But perhaps you aren’t insane. Or perhaps you aren’t sure HOW to run in the heat. Come to tomorrow’s salon with some ideas of your own…and we’ll have plenty to share!
Let’s SWEAT!
Join us tomorrow to discuss how to train in hot weather:
Wed, July 7
8:30 p.m.
TBD (224 Franklin St at Green St in Greenpoint)
Look for the dorks in NBR gear
Feel free to come sweaty after a run – food, drink, and even water is served at this bar!
–Cherie
