If you follow all the recommendations of doctors, you can do sports without harming your health. Running in the heat is a safe physical activity that requires careful preparation. Check how to run safely in a heatwave in the article below.
Is It Bad to Run in Heat?
Running in the heat can be bad for your health if you don’t take the necessary precautions. High temperatures and humidity can cause your body to overheat, leading to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. Running in extreme heat can also put a strain on your cardiovascular system and increase your risk of injury.
Dealing with Running in the Heat
The heat is the main summer challenge for every runner, regardless of fitness level. It raises our heart rate above the usual level, forces us to run more slowly, covers shorter distances, gets tired faster, drinks a lot of water, and takes care of timely cooling of the body.
The heat is not a reason to give up sports. In particular, if you are used to running and taking a break for the summer months, then it will be quite difficult to get back in shape after that. At the same time, the danger of high air temperatures during this period should not be underestimated. However, if you follow all the measures and follow all the recommendations of doctors, you can do sports without harming your health. So, how to run in hot weather? Are there any heat hacks for summer running?
Often beginners perform all those actions that can lead to heatstroke, which is dangerous running in the heat:
- The first mistake can be that runners go for a run when the temperature on the thermometer is 25-35 degrees.
- Wearing the wrong clothes is the biggest mistake for beginners. These are natural fabrics that quickly absorb moisture, all sweat, so they do not evaporate this moisture and lead to overheating of the body.
- Failure to observe the drinking regime.
- Think about the route before training and consider that the more trees there are, the more time you will run in the shade, which will positively affect your well-being and result. Also, always take your phone with you so you can be in touch if needed.
Have up-to-date data on your body and an examination of the cardiovascular system, confirming that everything is in order with you. With significant deviations and contraindications, running in the heat is extremely dangerous for health and life. These recommendations are for the average healthy and regular runner! If you are running for the first year, then choose a cool time of day and shady forest paths.
Running in the Heat: Recommendations to Follow
Stopping running because it’s hot is about the same as not running because it’s cold. Summer is the time for competitions, and you never know what the weather will be like on a particular day at the start. Of course, some competitions are held in deliberately hot climates, and it is worth preparing for this in advance. Yes, running in hot weather is a certain risk for a person, but following simple recommendations on how to run in the heat, both training and competitions will be much easier and safer.
An effective way to stay cool while running is to allow the body to adapt to high temperatures. According to The Conversation resource, the adaptation process contributes to the following:
- increasing the rate of sweating;
- reducing the loss of electrolytes – important salts and minerals;
- lowering the temperature at rest and during physical exertion;
- decrease in heart rate.