Running in the summer with heat and humidity will be a bit more difficult and tiring. But once our body gets used to more high heat and humidity, usually about 2 weeks, we will enjoy some nice easy runs.
TIPS FOR SUMMER RUNS
1. Choose and Wear the Right Clothes
Light-coloured, loose-fitting running clothes will help our body breathe and cool itself naturally. We should avoid tight clothing, since it restricts that cooling process. And we shouldn’t wear dark colours because they’ll absorb the sun’s light and heat. Light colours will reflect the sun from our skin.
If we want to wear something on our head, we should wear a running visor not a cap. A cap traps heat on our head, while a visor will allow our head to release heat and will be much cooler.
2. Acclimatize
Our first few runs in very hot or humid weather are going to feel very difficult because our body isn’t used to those conditions. It takes about two weeks of running consistently in the heat for our body to acclimatize to it. So, we should be patient, and give ourself a chance to adjust.
We should run at least a 3-4 runs each week outside to get acclimatized. Doing just 1 or 2 runs a week outdoors isn’t consistent enough to make much of a difference and our body to acclimatize.
3. Run Early in the Day
To beat the heat we should be running in the early morning or evening hours. We should try to avoid running between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., the hottest part of the day. Mornings are usually cooler than evenings in the summer because the sun heats up the ground during the day.
An added benefit of doing long runs in the morning is that we will get our body used to getting up early and running long, which is good training tips for races coming up.
4. Stay Hydrated
It may seem obvious that we need to stay hydrated while we’re running, but hydration is important before and after our runs as well. Before our run we can drink some nice cold water, but post-run we should drink electrolytes to refuel our body.
When running long-distance runs, to have access to good electrolytes drink mid-run, it will be super-efficient to support our muscles strength and energy. If we can’t carry electrolytes drinks or powder on a waist belt, we can stop and buy an electrolytes drink.
Also, we should drink good water during the day, especially on the days of our long runs. How do we know we’re staying hydrated? We need to do a urine check. It should be a light yellow colour. If it’s dark yellow, we’re not drinking enough water.
5. Be Strategic When Choosing Routes Running in the Sun
We should look for routes and areas that offer nice shade from trees, buildings, or other structures to help shield us from direct sunlight and reduce the risk of overheating. Planning our route to include shaded areas can make a huge difference in our overall comfort and performance during hot weather runs.
6. Don’t Stress About Your Pace
Some runners suffer with dehydration or other heat-related illnesses during or after hot and humid runs, because they pushed themselves too hard. We don’t have to try to keep the same paces that we would do during a cooler run. We need to focus on the extreme conditions and therefore slow our pace.
We don’t need to worry about our slower running pace. As long as we keep running consistently, we will still get the benefits of our training. Once the temperature and humidity drop, we will be amazed at how much faster and stronger we will be running.
7. You Can Do Some Treadmill Runs
While it’s good to do the majority of our kilometres outside, so our body adapts to the pounding on the road, it’s perfectly fine to do a run on the treadmill once a week. On some days when it’s extremely hot and humid, we will have a much safer and more productive run if we run on the treadmill.
Although some runners find treadmill running boring, it does have benefits, including being able to run at our pace without worrying about heat-related illnesses, having easy access to water, and not needing to use sunscreen.
8. Re-Hydrate After Your Run
After our run, it’s super important to focus on post-run recovery and hydration to replenish lost fluids and nutrients. Rehydrating with water, electrolytes powder or tablets, or a sports drink can help replace electrolytes lost through sweating and help in muscle recovery.
Refueling with a nutritious snack or meal containing healthy carbohydrates and protein can help restore energy levels and promote our muscle repair. Not only will taking those steps help us recover faster, but also it will also ensure we’re ready and refreshed for our next run or workout.
Focus On Safe Runs, Good Running Clothes, Good Hydration, Nice Running Routes, To Run In Hot Humid Weather In The Summer, And Feel Good Nice Runs!
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