"You will get conditioned to the heat...just give yourself time and bring water"
I’ve gotten several questions lately, and for good reason, about how long it takes to get conditioned to running in the heat. Although I’d love to just say “oh, a couple weeks” it isn’t quite as simple as that.
As with many things, there are several factors that come into play when getting acclimated to a hot summer of running. One of the biggest is simply how well you handle heat. Obviously, if you tend to overheat quickly or just plain don’t enjoy the heat that much then it’ll be a long and uncomfortable road (pun intended). The opposite would apply if sun and sweat were already your friends. Details like humidity level, time of day and strength of will also come in to play in various combinations.
Humidity can be an obstacle that’s tough to overcome primarily because high humidity prevents your body’s natural cooling system from working. If the atmosphere is already thick with moisture then sweat on your body has nowhere to go, won’t evaporate and, therefore, doesn’t cool you. Your core temperature stays high and the runs can be very tough. Your body can get conditioned to this but it can sometimes take a whole summer to do so.
Obviously, getting out as early in the day as possible is the best choice and, even though morning heat can get oppressive, if you’ve run consistently during June and July you’ll be ready for August, no problem. Late in the day is a good second choice but the afternoon’s heat can linger unexpectedly deep into the evening so be prepared.
An important point to mention is that the mind also plays a role in the effort to get heat conditioned. Not just because it can overheat in high temps (that’s the brain, actually) but because thoughts about the weather, effort, and resulting “pain” can sabotage our run and send us to the comfort of air conditioning long before our bodies would have demanded the same.
It should go without saying that keeping yourself hydrated, fueled with good carbs and fired up with enough electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium is extremely important in the hotter months. So, as you run your way through summer, remember that the effort will get easier. It may take a couple of weeks or couple of months but if you stick with it you can continue to enjoy MOVING SMARTER and RUNNING STRONGER.
Humidity can be an obstacle that’s tough to overcome primarily because high humidity prevents your body’s natural cooling system from working. If the atmosphere is already thick with moisture then sweat on your body has nowhere to go, won’t evaporate and, therefore, doesn’t cool you. Your core temperature stays high and the runs can be very tough. Your body can get conditioned to this but it can sometimes take a whole summer to do so.
Obviously, getting out as early in the day as possible is the best choice and, even though morning heat can get oppressive, if you’ve run consistently during June and July you’ll be ready for August, no problem. Late in the day is a good second choice but the afternoon’s heat can linger unexpectedly deep into the evening so be prepared.
An important point to mention is that the mind also plays a role in the effort to get heat conditioned. Not just because it can overheat in high temps (that’s the brain, actually) but because thoughts about the weather, effort, and resulting “pain” can sabotage our run and send us to the comfort of air conditioning long before our bodies would have demanded the same.
It should go without saying that keeping yourself hydrated, fueled with good carbs and fired up with enough electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium is extremely important in the hotter months. So, as you run your way through summer, remember that the effort will get easier. It may take a couple of weeks or couple of months but if you stick with it you can continue to enjoy MOVING SMARTER and RUNNING STRONGER.
No comments:
Post a Comment