Heat

Today will be a pretty good day at the park. The temperatures are supposed to hit 102 degrees so obviously a long run is completely out of the question. I try to have healthy exercise not unhealthy. So I might do a very slow 3 mile run through a well-shaded area of the park. I’ll also be out on the water in my kayak having some fun with plenty of water on me.

I love running. I’ve never understood anyone who runs and says they hate running. My only guess is that they are really what is termed a “jogger” and do it because they believe it to be good exercise. I don’t disagree but if I hated running then I’d find exercise that I didn’t hate.

But, I digress. I love running, but I don’t enjoy the heat. This presents a big problem in the 100 plus degree days of the Summer. Some people in my running club try to avoid it by running an hour later than they normally do. I’ve look at the thermostat and saw that the temperature usually doesn’t vary in a significant way. For instance, today the temperature at five was 96 and at six it was (you guessed it) 96. Even if I waited until now at 10:35pm, it is still an intolerable 90 degrees. Waiting one hour in the scorching hours of the day doesn’t cool off the temperature enough to make it worth it for me.

I get off work around 5. I like to run in the daylight. So I’m suck with running in the morning (when it is actually cooler) or running in the heat. I start work at 6ish in the morning so that’s out. It means that I am going to run in the heat.

I’ll explain in another post about how I deal with it. But basically I always go from work to my run. I hate breaking up my day with small amounts of time. So I go from waking up, to exercising, to home. None of that waking, working, home for an hour, working out, and then home again. It’s not consistent enough for me. That means I take a water bottle with whatever fluid in it to work along with my work out clothes. I also will take an endurolyte tablet IF I’m planning on running over 5 miles. Any distance under that doesn’t help me and actually is harmful.

Hopefully the heat will only last another couple months. But I’m reminded that it was in the mid seventies when I ran the Bandera 50K in January. Alas…

Every summer I start out hating running in the heat. I will stop and walk more. I’m much sweatier. I get exhausted far sooner than in cooler weather.

But I also learn that it’s not as bad as my mind makes it out to be. I think this is probably true for most runners.

Learn to embrace the heat a little. Consider it something of a training tool. If you can run a good run in 90 degree heat you are going to be doing great in the fall!

Also, what better excuse than the heat for a couple slower runs?

I’m not training for any races but I haven’t neglected my running too much. I’ve given myself a couple extra rest days during the week, but I am stepping up the mileage a little on the days I do run. In fact, I’m not able to run as much with the group because they step down mileage when it’s hot. My philosophy is fewer days but more time out there. Once I’m out there I might as well endure it for awhile.

Sunday I ran a slow 7 miles. Today I ran a very strong 7 miles. Neither was the same trails so it wasn’t too boring.

The heat of the summer is certainly here. Today I went about 7 miles in the morning and then 2 miles in the evening. Finally my body has started to adapt to the heat from the past couple weeks of easing into the heat. How should you deal with the heat?

• Slow down your pace. When you’re acclimating to the heat you can’t keep the same cooler weather pace.
• Run some in the afternoon during the heat of the day if you have a race coming up. You’ve got to get ready for it. Run just a few miles in the afternoon at an easy pace.
• Wear some more clothing. It doesn’t hurt to have on a long sleeved white shirt in the heat. It’ll give your body some more sun protection and it’ll help cool you down some.
• Remember that a lot of it is psychological.
• Electrolyte replacement is a much bigger problem than hydration. Make sure that on longer runs you’re taking some electrolyte capsules. If you get light-headed or anything make sure you eat a little potato chips or crackers. That’ll help you at least finish.
• Don’t worry about PRs in the heat. See how your body is responding during the race. Let your body dictate how you’ll perform.

You don’t have to beat the heat. You just have to accept it and learn to respect it. Otherwise you’re going to lose the battle because the heat isn’t going away for a long time.

I’m not nearly as fast when it’s hot outside. I have to slow down or walk, I reduce my overall speed, and I am a major sweater. It’s a little annoying because sweat gets into my eyes, my shirt is saturated (thank god for dry fit type shirts), and there are more wildlife outside. That means that I have to contend with insects and snakes and other weird things. I guess that’s life in Texas though!

Update:

Shortly after posting this, I noticed a post on That’s Fit about a man who was kicked out of his gym for sweating too much. I swear it wasn’t me.

Already 82 degrees and it’s only 6am; however, it’s going to be above 100 today. I guess that I’ll go for my run sooner rather than later.