How do "U" beat the heat???

[swim-mom]

Hi everyone - I am 33 mom of 4, I am OK with BMI - BUT the heat is killing me.

I ran last night at 5:30pm, but could only run 1.5 miles (1/2 way point) before I needed a break. The rest of the way home, I walked and ran...............and felt like a failure.

I have been running the same 3.3 miles route for months, but the heat just makes it impossible...........

I have tried running at 8pm, but it is still murder...........is the am that much cooler???

How do you fight the heat????

 

[ironz]

Definitely cooler in the morning, in most places.
Though at least here in central Texas, it is also more humid in the early morning, but that beats running in 98 degree temps!
Try it...
or wait until later in the evening...around here, the highest temp is about 4-5 pm.

 

[dsnyfan21]

I find mornings here a bit cooler. I do both because two days out of the week I walk after work around 5:45-6:45pm - the hottest temps here are around 2-4 pm. Mornings I like alot better, they are sometimes more humid, but I tend to like them better. Make sure you are hydrating well before you go out, it is hotter now, so you may just need a bit more hydration before going out in the heat. Wear wicking material (you probably do already), and maybe a wet bandana around your neck or one of the ones that soaks up water and holds it in, that would probably help you "keep cool" then as you name says go take a dip in the pool afterwards. I am in the process of getting one of those bandanas from www.zombierunner.com. It even has a spot to put ice cubes in it.
-Hope that helps.

 

[Calcio]

Hello Swim Mom

If you'll humor me, I'll tell you my heat story . . .

It's November of 1987, and I am 31 and as fit as I have ever been in my life. We live in Austin, Texas, and it's the day before the Austin Half Marathon. Martha is going to pick me up at the finish, and I tell her, "I'll be in in 87 minutes, if I'm not at the finish in 95 I've collapsed somewhere on the course.

So I wake up on Sunday morning and turn on the weather channel at 6 am. It says, "good morning, the average high today is 70, current temperature is 70, humidity is 100%, and the dew point is 70. I grumble a lot, tell myself that I'm fit, go to the start, and take off anyway. I hit the 10 mile point in 66 minutes, and then completely implode. It takes me 31 minutes to run the last 3.1 miles. People are passing me like crazy in those last 3 miles, and when I see Martha waiting for me at the finish, the look on her face tells me I'm in danger. Probably the most discouraging result in a race in my life.

What you experienced is pretty typical for running in heat. The body does an excellent job heating itself in cold weather, but it does a very poor job cooling itself. The best weather for distance running is 40-45 degrees and dry. You are cold for a mile or so, but when your internal furnace kicks in you are comfortable during the race, and can really grind out a good result. You get really cold really fast after you finish, but you can push hard on the course.

When it's hot and humid your body simply cannot cool itself, as you are generating lots of internal heat, and the wicking of your perspiration cannot keep up. If it's humid as well, it's worse.

The solution is to slow down, take it easy, take fluids, don't take too much straight water, do take sports drinks with electrolytes. Too much water in hot and humid conditions can actually imbalance your electrolytes, and not to be scary, lead to severe medical conditions.

And yes, running early in the morning is better than 8 or 9 pm. It's usually humid as can be, but quite a bit cooler than in the evening. Of course, that means you have to be up really early. When I lived in Austin in the 80's I would do my long runs Sunday at 5:30 a.m., so I could be done by 7 or 7:30. I did my weekday runs at 9 p.m. but they never went past 7 miles.

I'm not sure where you live, but our Florida friends like Bill, Angie, Mel, Tracy, and Vick all have to fight this for over half the year. Honestly, I don't know how they do it. Hopefully they'll post their experience and advice. That's one reason why I always focus on the January WDW races, because the best time to train, by far, in Massachusetts in the autumn.

And running in the heat does allow you to learn what you can and cannot do. The 2007 and 2008 Disney Marathons were run in tough conditions, hot, humid, brutal sun, you name it. People with experience training in this stuff seemed to survive it better than us from cooler climates.

Good luck is all I can say. When it's hot and humid back off, take it easy, take fluids, especially sports drinks, and listen to your body. if you feel light headed get into the shade and recover.

Best
Craig

 

[Duanerice]

I live in S Florida and as Craig said, we put up with this for more than half a year. Heck, going into the last Disney marathon my coolest run was in the 70's. That was winter.

So this year I bought a bike! No kidding. I bought a bike so I could ride a few nights a week instead of running. My evening schedule has me exercising from 6:30/7:00 to about 1 hour later. It is just so hot at that time. This way I can still keep up the cardio while saving my knee and ankles over the summer. I also use a Bowflex and a Pilates video which gives me some choices. Now once I start seriously training again in late Sept I'll run most of the time.

When I do run in the evenings I carry plenty of water and have a nice route in the shade. The shade makes all the difference. There are times when I am forced to slow down or even walk because of the heat and that's OK. Just need to chalk it up to a hot day. I always end up with a 10 minute soak in the pool.

When I do my LR on Saturdays I usually get out around 6:30 a.m. and can usually get 10 - 13 miles in before it gets too hot.

good luck,
Duane

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Early morning for the LRs is what I will do in the heat of the summer. It is the only way I can get through. The timed runs during the week I do what I can to put in the steps. I'm so glad I don't live in the triple digit zone. I'd have to say I'd be on TM then in AC room--yech.

Craig covered things necessary...slow down, drink fluids, take electrolytes, don't give up. Some days are better than others.

 

[chimera]

Like Betsy said, morning is cooler, but much more humid. Most of my morning runs are 70 to 80 degrees with 80 to 85% humidity. Duane lives about 75 miles south of Angie, Chester and me and is actually more tropical so gets a bit warmer. We have similar styles...I'm actually looking for a new bike to get some XT in. And even though my LR are 6 miles or less right now, I'm still out the door by 7am. You don't want to be outside running after 8:30...the heat really kicks in around 8.

I sweat like a racehorse on steroids so I hydrate like crazy. If I'm outside, I carry water even on the shortest of short runs. I wear as little and as lightweight clothing as possible though I havent ventured out in sports bra alone yet . I also try to keep an eye on salt as that may drain away with all the sweat.

Dont beat yourself up about walking. In this weather with no race on the horizon, I walk when I feel like it and run when I feel like it. Just getting the steps in is all that matters. Better to live to fight another day.

I'm using the TM during the week for short runs.

Thing is, I've lived here all my life and never really noticed the dumb humidity til I started running. DH and I were talking about moving up to NC hoping for better weather and better trails to run.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

I find mornings here a bit cooler. I do both because two days out of the week I walk after work around 5:45-6:45pm - the hottest temps here are around 2-4 pm. Mornings I like alot better, they are sometimes more humid, but I tend to like them better. Make sure you are hydrating well before you go out, it is hotter now, so you may just need a bit more hydration before going out in the heat. Wear wicking material (you probably do already), and maybe a wet bandana around your neck or one of the ones that soaks up water and holds it in, that would probably help you "keep cool" then as you name says go take a dip in the pool afterwards. I am in the process of getting one of those bandanas from www.zombierunner.com. It even has a spot to put ice cubes in it.
-Hope that helps.

Tracy: Glad you saw my post on the DL 1/2 thread about the cool offs I used since 97 when I attempted the Western States 100. They work well and I know Don and Gillian of Zombierunner for years. Direct link is http://www.zombierunner.com/store/product152.html .On trail runs of around 50 miles, they work great in dipping in streams or lakes as you run. I have used it for the Goofy's at WDW. I also use a wet bandana on my head. Just wet them at the aid stations. WS 100 also has hats where you can add ice to them.

 

[Caseydilla]

I'm in Vegas, it's very hot and dry here. Today was 109, yesterday it got up to 118 at one point. I have been running at 5 am these days, even then it is already in the 80's. As long as I get the first half of my run in before the sun is up, I do fine. I'll definitely be well prepared for running in the heat at the DL 1/2. Other than getting up early, I always carry water on me. Either with a fuel belt or a sport bottle. I'm doing a race next weekend that is providing "chill towels" so, I very curious to see how those work out in the heat.

 

[Duanerice]

I sweat like a racehorse on steroids so I hydrate like crazy. If I'm outside, I carry water even on the shortest of short runs.

Ahh not sure I would have used that exact description, but it fits me to a T. By the time I have 5 miles in my visor is actually dripping water. I get soaked on most of my runs. I too also take water on EVERY run, even if just 30 minutes. Gotta love my hydration belt.

enjoy,
Duane

 

[dsnyfan21]

Casey, not sure what a chill towel is, but this year in Feb at the A1A Ft. Lauderdale Half marathon there were two big barrels filled with ice water and towels that each person got as they crossed the fininsh line. The size was like a wash cloth, but was THE BEST thing I have ever gotten at the end of a Half Marathon!! I am a flushers (face turns bright red and get pretty warm) when doing any type of exercise and the ICE COLD CLOTH was awesome I placed it immediately on my face and then neck, it was THE BEST (did I say that already?? )I hope that your chill towel is something similar!!

 

[swim-mom]

WOW - All of you are amazing

This is my first summer running (every other time I have used the heat as an excuse NOT to run). Now I will just have to roll out of bed in the am, or my husband is going to have to kick me out.

I just bought an Elipicticall (sp?), so the pressure to run every is gone now. My plan right now is to do run every other day and do the Elipictical on the days I don't run.

I have to admit I did it last night for 5 minutes, and thought I would die BUT I kept doing it for 15 minutes and was dead - - But hey I did it!! LOL

So it looks like I will be up at 5:30am to run, since DH leaves at 6:30am and I cant leave 4 kids sleeping alone.....................

 

[JimB.]

Count me in with the "humid as ****" crowd. For some strange reason I am quicker in January than June. Cannot figure out why.......

I try to run "relatively" early. Today I was out of the house at 7:30 & that was great for me. But here, you trade temperature for humidity. If I go at 6:30 tonight, it will be high 80's/low 90's, but less humid.

I am, admittedly, LOUSY at the hydration/fueling thing. I did not drink anything during a 12 mile run today. Not the smartest thing, and I was probably at my limit when I finished. I DO need to get better & hopefully will do so.

I ALWAYS take a washcloth with me. On days when I sweat, but humidity is high (like today), being able to wipe my face & brow dry is like a little slice of heaven.

A lot of it is just getting acclimated to the conditions. You will not be able to perform like you do in the cold without weeks (at least)(if ever) of working in hot conditions. But you need to be able to gauge when it's time to go & when it's time to take it easy.

Example: Today I ran nonstop for 8.1 miles (doing a ToT time check), and then transitioned to a run 5/walk 1 minute plan for the remainder, & was able to maintain 10 min/mile overall.

It was CRAZY humid. My really cool looking, moisture-wicking running gear was a waste today. It was so saturated, I ran without my shirt for the last 2 miles, & my SHOES were soaked through. When the sweat does not evaporate is when you need to be really careful.

 

[swim-mom]

I am happy to hear that I am "NOT" the only one who is a sweaty mess

I have never run with wet sweaty feet though, so I guess when that happens I will know I can handle the heat!!!

As for now, I might try and tonight at 8:30pm assuming the wind dies down and the heat decreases some. Right now in South Jersey it is in the low 80's, but humid.

Otherwise I will be up bright and early..................for my first am run

 

[BamaEd1]

It gets pretty hot here in the evenings, too. Usually low to mid 90's with humidity above 60%. If I've missed several runs (slept through them), I will try to get out and slog through a run in the heat but I don't like it and I keep the distance short; 2.1 miles is my short route. The only solution I've found is like most of our WISH friends is to get up early. Even though I'm sore all day, it's a good sore and I really feel good. I also sleep better the night after an early morning run. Best of luck finding a solution.

 

[swim-mom]

Ok, I ran this morning - but had to run based on time rather than route.

I use the NIKE+ system and when it said 1/2 way point, I turned around because DH had to go to work. I was almost at the route 1/2 way point, but I had to turn around and head back home.

I was up and out of the house by 6am and it was not too bad, but goodness it was still HOT & HUMID.

I ran the whole 15 minutes, but on the way back I had to walk & run to make it back..............one minute I felt sick the other was just tiredness.

Long story short..............I RAN THIS AM!!! in the heat

 

[laxdef69]

Good job on the early morning run!

I am also a high sweat producer...during my long summer runs, my running shorts actually have dried salt streaks...sexy, I know

I normally carry this Amphipod with me

http://www.amphipod.com/320/320.html

and take some Cliff Shot Blox along for the ride

http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks

margarita flavor since they have 3x the sodium (which you lose while sweating).

Also, if I am going on a long run that the Amphipod bottle won't last through, I will plant a water bottle along the route to either stop and drink or refill the Amphipod.

From what I have been able to read up on, you actually sweat sooner if you are fitter...your body has become more efficient at eliminating heat.

Although, as all who live in high humidity areas know, sweat doesn't evaporate if the humidity is high...so if I have my choice, I would rather run in higher heat and lower humidity

Mike

 

[twoWDWfools]

Like Tracy I also get flushed fairly quick and am normally quite drippy half way thru. It gets humid here as well and due to the time I have to leave for work am walks during the week are out. Since this is the first summer I'll be actually working out regularly going to have to work on eve times.

Thanks for the tips and info. Going to have to remember to swap out the water I normally take for sports drink.

 

[sramille]

Here in AZ, it's a must to get up early! It's 80+ degrees by around 6:30am and it just climbs from there. It's probably 100 degrees around 9-10 am and it stays there all day.

I slept in this weekend until 7:30 both days and could not bring myself to workout.

One of my tricks for long workouts is to keep a cooler in my car with cold water and gatorade and a wet towel. My route is a 3 mile loop so I can pass by the car every so often to cool off.

Even for the DL half last year, I put a wet paper towel in a baggie and brought it with me. It wasn't necessarily cold by the time I got it out, but it still felt great.

 

[Caseydilla]

Good job on the early morning run!

I am also a high sweat producer...during my long summer runs, my running shorts actually have dried salt streaks...sexy, I know

and take some Cliff Shot Blox along for the ride

http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks

margarita flavor since they have 3x the sodium (which you lose while sweating).


Mike

My dark visors always get all salty. So, I bought a white one.

I am a huge fan of the Cliff shot blocks too! I carry them on me for long runs and races. I love the strawberry flavored ones. I didn't know they had margarita ones, though. Where do you buy your shot blocks from? I've been getting them at Sport Chalet but they only have 3 flavors to choose from.