It’s feeling hot, hot, hot!
Last night’s LVRR 5k in Lehigh Parkway was brutal. It wasn’t just hot, it was damn hot! The Weather Channel website reported that the temperature was 88* with a “Feels Like” temperature of 96* – and 131 crazy runners showed up to race. What is wrong with us? Peter Vigneron, the first person to cross the finish line, ran a very respectable time of 17:16. Incredible!
As soon as the race was over sweat poured off of us and would not stop. Many thanks to the kind person who set up the hose for the runners to cool off under and the kids to play in. This heat got me to thinking about how much the heat and humidity truly does affect our running and I thought a re-post of running in the heat would be a good reminder for today.
- Remember that thirst is not an indicator of dehydration. Once you are thirsty, you are already low on fluids. Indications of dehydration are an elevated heart rate during and after your run and dark, golden-colored urine. After your run, keep drinking fluids until your urine is clear.
- During your run, drink about 4 to 8 ounces of water and/or sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes.
- Weigh yourself before and after your run. Drink 16 ounces of fluid for every pound of weight lost. *Important note here… do not use this as a method of weight loss!
- Apply a sunscreen of at least SPF #15. Make sure that it is a non-drip formula that won’t drip into your eyes.
- Wear sunglasses that filter UVA and UVB rays and/or wear a cap with a visor.
- Wear light-colored micro-fiber clothing.
- Run when your shadow is taller than you are, and when the sun is not high in the sky. If you run in the morning, you’ll avoid the heat, but may encounter a higher humidity. The air quality is also better in the morning, since ozone levels increase soon after dawn, peak at midday, and then again in the early evening. Times to avoid running are noon till 3pm.
- Eat salty foods and drinks such as pretzels and tomato juice.
- Check the Heat Index Chart for apparent temperature. This is the number that calculates the air temperature with the relative humidity to determine what the temperature feels like and if there is a risk of a heat-related illness.
For more great info about running in the heat check out this link.
One Comment on "It’s feeling hot, hot, hot!"
I’m definitely a fan of getting out real early in the morning before the sun even comes up on those hot days. It helps cut back on dehydration although like you said, the humidity can be a little higher. It does take some planning and dedication to get up that early (especially on weekends), but it helps you get through a training run ..