Tips for Running in the Heat

We've had some pretty intense heat here so far this summer. I talked to my dad last week, and the first thing he said after answering the phone was, "You weren't running in all that heat we had last week were you??" I had to inform him that yes, I did, and yes, I survived it. Being a dad, he was worried and a little bit annoyed at me that I hadn't been "smart" and not run outside.



But one of my big goals for this summer is to embrace the heat. I know that training in all the heat and humidity this summer will only help me hit my goal in the marathon in the fall. But that doesn't mean I've been an idiot while doing it.

Here are some tips for running safely in the heat:

1. Hydrate. I carried my 12 oz. handheld on every run. Even the 3.66 mile recovery run. It was 100* heat index after all. Refill often. During the 8 miler in insane heat, I filled up my handheld halfway through the run. I also focused a lot on hydrating in the afternoon leading up to the run. Including an extra bottle full of nuun. As well as making sure to drink another big bottle full of water on my drive home. And eating more vegetables to get in some extra hydration through foods.
2. Run with a buddy. My BRF has been out of town, and running in 100 degree sucks. Period. So I recruited buddies for all of the extremely hot runs. This was both to save my sanity and ensure I wouldn't skip the run, but also for safety reasons. With everyone in my family having heart issues, it's always in the back of my mind that I might have been dealt a shitty hand genetically. It never hurts to be extra safe and have a body in case the worst occurs on a run.
3. Slow down. On Monday nights run, we were supposed to do 8 miles with 6 or 8 strides. I knew pretty early on that doing the strides weren't going to happen. We slowed the pace way down, and skipped the strides completely. We also stopped to recuperate at least twice in some shade. My stomach got super angry at overheating, so we even had a half mile walk break during the 7th mile. NBD, miles are miles in this heat!
4. Plan your important workouts accordingly. I was lucky in the extremely hot week that I didn't have any important workouts, outside of a long run. On the long run day, I got started at 6am to ensure I could run during the coolest part of the day. I actually am enjoying doing the rest of the runs in the heat after work, but those are runs I know I can slow down as necessary. If you have to do a workout in the heat or humidity, focus more on effort than pace. Don't kill yourself to hit a pace goal, because you'll likely need to call the workout early which isn't ideal either!

Are there any other tips you'd add?? Let me know! We can beat the heat together. :)

Three Things: Embrace the Heat

This summer, and specifically during the marathon training cycle, I've decided to focus on three areas to improve upon. I think I've done a really good job of physically preparing myself for marathon training--putting in quality, consistent miles for the last two years. Surely I'll spend the summer and early fall doing the same, including more marathon specific runs, long runs, and workouts, but I'm also excited to work to improve in a few other areas.

Learn to better tolerate the heat. If you know me, you know I don't do well in the heat. I'm a sweaty sweater. I blame my mother and father for passing on their ability to sweat buckets to me. Thanks parents. I've always been someone who's very warm all the time. Growing up, we were really poor and didn't have air conditioning. My bedroom was always upstairs, and I basically spent every summer of my adolescence with heat rash all over my chest and stomach because of the heat and my body's inability to handle it. Uff da. I've always been the sweatiest kid on the basketball court, the runner who could wring out their hair/bra/tank/socks after a humid run.

In the past I've worked to avoid the heat. Waking up at ungodly hours to run in the coolest temps of the day, switching around workouts to have the most optimal conditions for workouts and long runs, planning my racing schedule around the seasons, but this summer I'm going to switch things up a bit. This goal, is in part put in place because Grandma's half is just around the corner. And if the past two weeks are any indication, it could be hot as hades out there. We're spending a decent amount of money to run the race, stay in Duluth, drive all the way out there, etc. and I don't want to waste all that money on a day that I say "I'm not even going to try, it's too hot!" (In the event that it's black flags or close to, please give me permission to say this! I won't not run, but I definitely will be keeping it easy effort if necessary for safety!)

I plan to spend some time in the early mornings running when the humidity is at its worst (my kryptonite, really). I also plan to spend some after work runs, probably easier paced runs, running in the heat. The best way to get better at something is to do it, right? I'm also going to practice focusing on effort during these hotter and more humid runs vs. looking at my Garmin for how things are going. During our track work last week in 80+ degrees, my repeats at 3k-5k pace were not at 3k-5k pace, but the effort I was running was as if I was racing a 5k on an 80+ degree night.

I'm also trying to spend more time outside during the day, taking lunch breaks outside (in the shade to save my poor skin) and limiting my air conditioning in the car. What's a little sweat right? It's summer! Rest assured I'll still have the air blaring when I sleep at night because no adult needs a full front side of heat rash. Barf. I'm also working on eating more cooling foods to help reduce internal inflammation so my perception of heat is different. TBD how that works out!

This is already probably too long for most people to read so stayed tuned for #2 and #3!

Tips for Running in the Heat + Humidity

Living in the Midwest, we get the best of both sets of horrific weather: the crazy winter weather with snow/ice/sleet and crazy below zero temperatures as well as sweltering heat and humidity. I would much prefer the insane cold than the sweltering heat, but in order for me to be in great shape for a cool fall/early winter race, I have to run through the insane heat of the summer. Sigh.

In the past, I've bitched and complained my way through summer training. Tons of walk breaks, skipped runs during the unfavorable temps, etc. etc. This year I'm embracing the summer heat, using the heat miles as mental training for hard races to go. I also think that running throughout the summer heat will make my heart even more chill and relaxed when it comes to cooler race mornings in the fall.

With that being said, it's still not easy to run through the summer heat and humidity, far from it. And after having tons and tons of runs ending with me waving the white flag, walking home, sitting on the side of the trail/sidewalk pouting, wishing for a meteor to strike me, here are some tips I have for making summer running not suck quite so much:

• Drink + carry all of the water. Now this should be obvious, but it never fails, I head out for that first blazing hot run of the spring/summer, and I don't bring my handheld because I'm only going 3 or 4 miles, and who needs water for a 3 or 4 miler? Well I do. Especially when it's 85-100 degrees. Even if I'm not running and I'm just looking out the window in that level of heat, I need to be hydrating! I also spend the day before long runs and workouts super hydrating. I've started tracking my hydration again, and I make damn sure on those days before that I'm hitting my goal and then some. I end up spending ALL DAY LONG in the bathroom, but whatever, it's necessary.

• Plan your route to refill water. Oh, another tip that involves water? Why not. YES it's that important. On a recent 10 mile long run, I drank 30 oz of water. I carry a 12 oz handheld water bottle, and filled it up once during the run, chugged half of it, and then filled it up the rest of the way. My run was 100% better after that point. None of this sip occasionally stuff. When it's hot, you need to stay ahead of the hydration, so drink frequently and refill often.
• Wear the lightest loose fitting clothing. My hot, HOT wardrobe is almost always the same: white hat, black shorts (to hide the significant ass/crotch sweat that will inevitably be there), and the lightest weight, lightest color tank that is clean for the day. I bought a purple tank from Nike a few years back, and it reminds me of the t-shirt that Kyle has had since he was a sophomore in high school. So worn down that it's threadbare and see through. Well that's how this tank top is, and it basically feels like you're not wearing a shirt, and that right there is pure bliss on a hot hot day. Or just shed the damn shirt (but plan to load up the sunscreen first, because there are parts of you that probably aren't used to being on display in the blazing sun for the run).
• Adjust your pace/goal. When I'm training, I don't have a goal per say for the pace we're shooting for on a long run day. My goal is to complete the miles with little to no walk breaks. I know a lot of people train with planned walk breaks and that works perfect for them, but for me, if I walk during my training runs, it gives my brain permission to walk in races when it gets hard. I always try to start hot long runs even more conservatively than normal, ignoring pace almost completely, only focusing on perceived effort via heart rate. I know that once my heart rate gets to a certain point, the only thing I can do is walk to get it to come down, so I'd much rather take it very easy so I can complete my goal of getting in the miles with little to no breaks in the running (water refill exceptions excluded).
• Wake up early. Barf. I know this is an unpopular one, at least for me. I hate getting up early to run. My stomach is always angry, and my legs feel so tired and old in the morning. Ugh, woe is me. BUT if I have a workout (workout=speed work or long run) you'd best believe I'm up as early as I can physically function to get it in. I do still think it's important to do some of your super easy/general aerobic paced runs in the insane heat so that you're not completely blind-sided if your race day is blazing hot (heaven help me if my goal race in Oct. or mid-November is in blazing heat, I will FREAK OUT!!!). It's already stressful on your body to run long or do a tempo run or speed session, so it's best to take out the extra variable of stress that is heat and/or humidity.

What tips am I missing? I used to be an ice-bather after these runs, but I've gotten wussy in my old age. :|