It is that time again... the regular, ( if we have the weather for it), post about running in the heat. Although this advice is for those of us running in the UK, I feel sure that some of it, will apply to those of us running in hotter locations.
This posts is a bit of a mish-mash with sections taken from the excellent posts on hydration put out by our own Realfoodieclub who many of our friends here remember with affection. She is of course still running, having completed the London Marathon most successfully, this year!..
So... one thing we chat about here on the forums is hydration and dehydration . We need to try to support our new runners especially, who may not realise why this is so important.
Here are a few links which may help our new runners and the rest if us too to get a tad more understanding, of why we need to hydrate properly all the time and especially now it is getting much warmer.
Taking the idea from RFC's post too.. maybe we could share links on our own tips or suggestions for running in the heat...folk who are doing it now for the first time and the rest of us who have run through hot summers before?
We do sometimes get replies saying, that if we are only running for short distances mins you don’t need fluids, BUT, we are all wonderfully different and what is right for one might not be for another. Remember too, that great hydration is like a healthy eating regime a really good idea, ALL the time if you are a runner!
I do know of one of our most experienced runners who ran a short route and suddenly realised she felt disorientated and giddy, having not taken in enough fluids and who had to make a very slow and unhappy walk back home.
I too, once on a regular early morning run at the coast, realised it was hotter than I thought, I felt very very warm, and fortunately a garage shop in the town was open... I bought a bottle of water and poured it over my wrists and rubbed it over my neck.. because that works for me. I drink plenty of water all the time so it was just a feeling of too hot!
So... some useful links here, I feel.
Do, please, drop in, if you have the time... and let us know how it is going for you.
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Hello you! Phew, it's warm! My snail shell is over heating!I know you had ideas for a wet neck buff? In a post yonks ago? Didn't you also get sprayed once, accidentally, by a garden sprayer? 😀
Very timely! I am starting week 9 this week, just in time for the heat wave! I should go for my run tonight, will see how it is when I get home, i feel as if I have come so far and now the final hurdle is here it's going to be really tough to complete the 3 x 30 minute runs!!
You'll do it..and then...wow..there is really no limit to where your runs will take you!I was only ever going to do C25K..8 years on...still here..still running! Still loving it!
had some great advice on the weekend from the martials at the water stops at swansea half, even though you might have water with you, i was carrying about a litre and a bit and drank it all during the race, they were saying to grab a bottle of water from the volunteers and douse yourself with it to bring your core temp down, my head my cap and my shoulders had the treatment at each stop and i think its what got me round the course ... even after the race when i couldn't bring my temp down and was in danger of overheating i was thankful for the post race bottle of free water, this again over my head downe the trick, slowly as a lot in one go was too much of a shock to the system
Thanks Oldfloss for this much needed post, i am struggling a bit in this heat but i knew i would, i am not an early bird but am starting to train myself to get up earlier and earlier to get out of the door so not to miss my runs, i have started taking water out with me in a soft flask so at least i can sip that even for short runs, I try and run on roads/paths with more shade but impossible to avoid e beating sun completely, i also try and slow my pace but because i have improved my pace and running form since graduating by about a minute a KM faster i find it really hard to go slower, i do try but when i look at my watch my pace has sped up again then i slow down then next look and i have sped up again 🙄 but the earlier i can get out the better really
All good positive action there..!It's interesting how our pace does naturally increase as we run more. At least for most of us. As Coach Benett on the Nike guide runs sayd..going slowly and easing back needs effort.
Just look around more and maybe the earlier you get out, the more you may see too?
You are mostly on top of keeping cool though! Well done!
yes going slowly and easing back does take ALOT of effort now, my stride length has increased and feels so much better, however ive tried shortening my stride length so i go slower that didn't work and then keeping the same stride length but slowing down is even harder work and i feel daft 🤣 but i must do it so as not to exhaust myself, i will do anything i can so as not to stop running, i have even stopped listening to music for the time being so i can take in my surroundings more and as you say going out earlier i will see and hear more in nature (as i love to hear the robins singing in the morning, well any bird song really)
Thank you Dexy5, I'll download it on Spotify, i must admit i have a play list of fast music as it gets me going, i did have some slower tunes but felt they were too slow, i will try no music for a while though and concentrate on keeping my pace below a certain pace , but will definitaley check out the chariots of fire album
If you have Spotify, you might also be able to search for playlists for a slower Heart rate rhythm . Perhaps others on here, with more knowledge, may be able to advise on recommended HR settings.
Thank you for this. I remember when I first started running (again, as I did used to run many moons ago) several people advised that during runs when I got 'lead' legs, it could have been down to not hydrating enough. So, I started to drink lots of water everyday, most of the day, and upped it during particular hot times, and even more before race days. However, on some of the runs my legs actually felt worse. I was talking to someone in our running club who is a regular marathon runner and he said that the danger of just drinking so much water meant I was also flushing out everything the body needs, so I was advised when hydrating for a race in hot weather, that I always use electrolytes, which I do now do.
I'm be interested to hear if other people do this, or do you just drink water or something else??
I am a water baby.. since being small... just regular drinking , not too much and not drinking more on hot days just little and often... it was our drink at home.. My Mum and Nan drank plenty too...there really is nothing like water to refresh and invigorate is .here? But yes, you can over hydrate and that is where the pee scale comes in...mostly it can happen on longer runs or races such as Marathons.. but you listen to your body and monitor what is going on, you should be fine
Thanks Oldfloss, I'm pretty good at staying hydrated in general but in this weather need the reminder to drink even more!
One day I'd drunk loads of water & still seemed thirsty, my Mum suggested maybe I was low on salt (lots of sweating going on running in this heat)...I didn't have any sports drinks so had a pinch of salt then a barocca. Did feel less thirsty afterwards, not sure if it worked or was a placebo as I was improvising 😁
After my run last night I headed straight for the sink and ran my wrists under the tap, it really does help 😅
Water on pulse spots...bliss! Run46 Your Mum probably had the right idea ..I don't eat or like salt. Except on fish and chips...and..on tomatoes when it is very hot...the only time. My body tells me it needs it...happened tge first time in the Dordogne...I just had to have salt..
Well done you..and well done Mum! So interesting isn't it?
I would also mention sunscreen. I wear a 50 factor all day face cream or a dedicated sports face screen. It does tend to stick to the face better than normal sunscreen and so doesn’t run into your eyes. A white hat is also a great buy for summer running.
Awwww, Thank you for the mention. Hot running days equals more thought. I went out with water for a 10km on Tuesday I was taken by surprise at how slow I was. Even though I've been running for so many years it is easy to forget the power of mother nature.
I also try to think about hydration for the rest of the day, not only just for the run. You can carry on losing for a few hours afterwards too.
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