Runner’s Guide to Surviving the Summer Heat
If you are a fitness buff and don’t get satisfied until you run a considerable distance every day, then the summer heat might pose a little trouble for you. For most runners, running is like liberation and nothing comes between you and you liberation time.
If you are adamant and still decide to take a run despite severe weather conditions, then running in the scorching heat will prove to be more than tough for you, increasing your chances of heat stroke and risks for dehydration.
The unbeatable heat outside and the high humidity levels might hinder your daily run. If you do not want to give up on your routine of running then it is better to consider the following precautionary measures before you hit the road for a run.
1. Check on the weather
Whenever you think of running try to be prepared and make sure that you have weather details including the temperature and the level of humidity. Be smart and if it is too hot outside try to stay back and workout inside instead of going out.
When the levels of humidity get too high you stop sweating like you normally do and this might increase your chances of passing out due to heat. Excess heat and humidity might slow you down so do not push yourself a lot.
2. Be watchful
While running in intense heat you should be a little cautious and try to be watchful too. If while running you feel dizzy, get tired even if you ran just a little, your stomach does not feel okay, you are getting chills, you feel goose bumps or you suddenly stop sweating then something is not right and you should stop running right away. In such a condition try to monitor your heart rate and lower it down.
3. Stay hydrated
During summers you should keep yourself hydrated. It does not mean that you should just drink water before or after taking the run. If you want to beat the summer heat then you should always try to drink water all day long.
It is easy to keep a water bottle along your side so as to drink water just right away. You can also add some electrolytes of lighter brands so that you keep supplying the minerals to your body that you have lost during the entire course of your running.
4. Fight the heat
Try to beat the heat with your planning, plan your run during that part of the day when there is little heat. Select early morning for your run, so that there is no heat outside and you can enjoy your morning run when the sun is not even out. You can also go for running in the evening, though it’s not as breezy as it is in the early morning.
5. Wear the right gear
While going for the run make sure that you are wearing light colors, because light colors tend to reflect the heat keeping you cool whereas darker shades would absorb all the heat from the sun and thus would make you feel hotter.
The new sports-specific synthetics are better than cotton, too. They stay drier and wick moisture better than natural fibers do.
6. Screen it Out
To protect yourself from skin cancer and other skin damage, use sunscreen liberally. Do so even on partly cloudy days; harmful ultraviolet rays are not blocked by cloud cover. Another benefit: Sunscreen can decrease your skin and body temperatures, so you’ll stay cooler during exercise
Running in the summers might be tiring but it is quite high on burning the calories. But don’t push yourself a great deal, if you cannot manage the heat you can always hit on the treadmill.
