Running in the heat is something that most runners will face when entering
the hottest months of the year.
In this post, I’ll give up some valuable tips to make your runs
more enjoyable in high temperatures.
Introduction
First of all, let’s define what’s too much heat. If the outside temperature is above 30ºC / 86ºF, consider not going out for a run. I am not stating that it’s not possible, but it’s avoidable. When the heat rises, the heart rate also rises because your heart will be doing a lot more work to keep the body cool. If you don’t have experience running in extreme heat or if this is the first heat wave of the year, then perhaps you should go for a walk instead.
So, the outside temperature is below 30ºC / 86ºF, it’s still hot and you want to get out and go for a run. Good for you! But take the following tips into consideration.
Change your running schedule
If you already run early in the morning or at night, then you are already doing the right thing. If you are used to running at midday, then consider changing your schedule when it’s hot outside.
I guess that every country and city has its own microclimate, but where I live, the summer mornings (starting at 6 am or 7 am) have an acceptable running temperature (still hot dough…) and the nights usually are windy so it helps to keep the body cool.
Keep in mind that if you go for a really long run (3h or 4h), your morning runs will end when the heat starts to peak, but your body will gradually adapt to the heat so it’s not that hard. It would be way harder if you started to run at midday.
Change your route
If your usual routes don’t have any shades, then look for other routes where you can run under some shade, at least for some miles, so that you have some breaks from the sun. It can be building shades, tree shades, or whatever shades you find. If you usually run in the city, see if you can find a nearby wood, forest, urban green park, or something similar. It will be way cooler because of all of the shades provided by the trees, and at the same time, you can run in a light (or hard) trail route that will cause less impact to your legs. It's a win-win!
Wear proper running gear
Are you running in cotton clothing? You can get away with it in your easy runs, but in the summer, you’ll sweat much more and cotton clothing will absorb all your sweat. Not only will your clothing be very damp, but it will also cause more friction between the clothing and your body, and usually, the nipples will be the first to experience the consequence.
So, always pick synthetic materials that are light, breathable, and will dry very quickly. Nevertheless, for longer runs, vaseline is the best friend of your nipples! For the ladies, if you're wearing a sports bra, then you're good.
In my experience, between cooler or “normal” running shorts there's not much difference but do know that there are cooler running shorts.
Regarding running T-shirts, I only wear sleeveless shirts for races because I like to have my shoulders protected from the sun while training, but this is up to you. If a T-shirt is too much for you, wear a sleeveless one, but make sure that it’s a technical T-shirt for running and that it’s comfortable. Don’t forget to read the sunscreen chapter.
Next, what about your hat? I see a lot of runners running under the sun with no hat on, but even if the sun or the heat doesn’t bother you, you should protect your skin from the sun. So, consider using a hat with UV treatment.
I can advocate the same for sunglasses. They will protect your eyes from the sun and also will allow you to run without having to squint all the time. I don’t run with sunglasses because I always run with a hat and my eyes are always under the hat shade. To be honest, I tried to run with sunglasses and I don’t like it. I sweat a lot from my head and I don’t like to have sweat on the sunglasses and on top of that I don’t want something pressing my head or ears all the time…
At the end of this post, you’ll find links to the clothing that I wear while running under heat.
Hydration
Hydration is a post of its own but let's keep it simple for now. Hydration should be a priority no matter if you are running in the summer or in the winter.
If you think that you’re well hydrated because you drink a lot before going out for a run and you carry a lot of water with you, then I’m sorry to tell you that you’re not correct. In fact, if you need to bring water for a 10K run, in normal conditions, then you’re not hydrated.
Hydration must be something in your daily routine even on rest days. So, make sure that you drink a lot of fluids every day (between 1.5L and 2L / 50oz and 68oz). If you do this, and if you are a healthy person, you won’t need to carry water with you for a 10K run.
Now if the outside temperature is really high, sure, bring a bottle of water or other drink so that you can take small sips while running. I never carry fluids for a 10K run, even in the summer, but you know better than anyone what your body needs so it’s up to you.
If you’re going for a long run, drink an isotonic or an electrolyte drink before getting out and if you are going for a really long run, consider doing the same the night before. In these types of runs, it could be beneficial to carry isotonic instead of water. You’ll be sweating a lot and you need to replace the sodium that you are losing in your sweat. If you prefer to drink only water, then take with you some snacks with high sodium/salt content.
Sunscreen
Unless you’re running under the shade, then you really should apply sunscreen before your run. By doing this, you are taking care of your health, and at the same time, you’ll avoid a sunburn that you might get from the first summer run. After you get a sunburn, the next runs will not be that enjoyable so it’s better to avoid it.
Usually, I use my kids' sunscreen so it’s a 50+ protection and that will do to trick for my 4h runs.
Your body still needs to warm up
Despite being hot outside and you feel your body warm, you still need to warm up. You need to get your body moving, do a simple stretch, warm up your muscles and joints, and then start running easy. Just do what you usually do to warm up.
Let your body get used to the heat
If you’re going for a run and this is your first summer run of the season, then start with an easy run and run for fewer miles than your usual daily run. Let your body gradually adapt to the heat and you’ll notice that the first summer runs will be harder and then you will get used to the heat.
This is also valid for the first miles of every summer run. Start easy for the first miles and let your body adapt to the heat.
Run by effort
If you are doing an easy or long run, forget your pace. Your easy run pace is linked to a heart rate that is below the rate that you get when running in the heat, so don’t follow your pace and run by effort. Feel your breath, feel your heart, and adapt to the pace accordingly.
Ultimately, I always run my easy and long runs by effort, but with experience, we know how to pace runs without having to look at a watch.
Racing with hot temperatures
Not all races will have the perfect temperature. Sometimes it’s too cold, sometimes it’s raining and sometimes it’s too hot.
I already raced with temperatures above 30ºC / 86ºF (fortunately, not the entire race), and in those two races, something very tragic happened to other fellow runners. I can’t say that the heat caused it, but this only happened in those races. I am sure that we can all agree that it’s not worth it.
If you have to stop, stop. If you have to quit, try walking until you reach the finish line. If you are too far away to walk to the finish line, you can always try the same race next year.
Listen to your body
In the end, there is no better advice than listening to your own body. Do not ignore any pain, discomfort, high heart rate, thirst, and all other indications that your body might give you.
Let me know in the comments below if these tips were useful and tell me about your experience.
Also, drop me a line if you have any questions, and don't forget to follow the blog on social media and subscribe to receive a notification when I publish a new blog post.
If you're interested to know what I wear in the summer, follow the links below (links from the Portuguese Decathlon):
These are affiliate links and I can earn a small commission through your running shoe purchases. It means nothing to you, but it does help me bringing more content to the blog.
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