Running in the Heat

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In the South, it’s that time of year again– one million-ty degrees with 100% humidity. Sweat clings to you like a wet blanket making breathing near impossible. Add to that a pretty decent running effort and breathing becomes even more impossible. It’s also gnat-weather. A relatively warm winter = ALL THE BUGS. So on top of not being able to breath, when you can catch a gulp of air here or there, you’re probably sucking down a gnat. Mmmm…protein.

It’s also the time of year I tend to get lots of questions about running in the heat, starting with “You run in this heat???” So I thought I’d write a little post with some things I’ve learned (and hard earned) about running in the heat, starting with, “Yes, I do run in this heat. Really.”

The biggest piece of advice I can give when running in extreme heat (now, I’m talking Southern heat, y’all. Plop me in Arizona and I’m a new-born babe. I have no idea how to run in that heat!) is SLOW DOWN. Slow WAAAAY down. Forget about PRs and speedy runs, except for late nights or early mornings. Until you’re acclimated to the heat (and you will eventually acclimate), slow the heck down. At first, your heart rate is going to spike and run much higher than usual because of that heat. You’ll need to gradually let your body adapt to that kind of load, but heat stroke is real, y’all. You have to run smart and be careful. It’s better to walk than suffer heat stroke!

You will need some serious liquids, not just water either. The amount you’ll sweat is going to deplete much needed electrolytes, so you’ll have to replace those puppies if you don’t want to get sick and vomit immediately after your run (I’ve done this more times than I’d like to admit…). These days I keep BASE salt on me when I run, particularly when I run any distance (mainly for cramping). I also drink Nuun after runs or Gatorade Zero. Plus only drinking water and drinking too much water can cause hyponatremia, y’all. That’s some nasty stuff you don’t want to mess with. Electrolytes are important!

Personally, I love running in the heat. The hotter the better. I absolutely hate running in the cold, so I’ll take a good sweat-sesh over cold anytime. People seem to have the misconception that being acclimated to the heat means you’ll sweat less, when in fact the opposite is often true. I find that, if anything, I sweat earlier and more than I did before I’d acclimated to the heat. Sweat cools you off, so my body recognizes I’m doing some work and goes, “OK, sweat! Let’s go! It’s our time to shine.” Suffice it to say, I sweat A LOT. Another non-pro tip: Hang up some Command hooks in or around your bathroom to hang wet workout clothes on to dry, otherwise your hamper is going to be nasty. You don’t want to put the hooks above carpet because they will drip. Fair warning.

Next, you definitely want to take some time to plan out your wardrobe. With so much heat and sweat going on, chafing is a heart-beat away. Find your favorite anti-chafing balm/cream. I like RunGuard; the hubs likes Squirrel’s Nut Butter. Pick your poison and use it liberally. If you don’t know where you might chafe, you’ll know after the first sweaty run, trust me. Hop in the shower and follow the screams. That’s where you’ve chafed, my friend. I tend to put it under my arms, particularly if I’m wearing a pack that day, and on my thighs. (Two words: Chub Rub) I also put it on my feet where I’m prone to blister. I make sure I’ve got some thin, wicking socks (I like Swiftwicks) to keep the worst of the blisters at bay.

You also want to make sure what you’re wearing won’t get drenched in sweat and then weigh you down. Nothing’s worse than slogging home in a soggy shirt or shorts. Personally, I prefer tight-fitting shorts (Senita sisters, represent!) that won’t move around on me and protect me from the dreaded chub-rub, but, hey, you do you! As for me, I’ve got some thighs, y’all. There’s no gap in those thighs, so I have to protect them! I also like to run in sleeves to protect the shoulders from the worst of the sun. I have to change out my hats too–I prefer lighter weight Boca hats to the heavier trucker hats I wear in winter. The latter style tends to absorb more sweat and I find that I start dripping sweat over the bill and onto my glasses.

Finally, (although there’s a whole lot more I could say) you’ll need to dial in your nutrition for the summer. Just because you can eat something in the winter, doesn’t mean your stomach will tolerate it when the heat soars. I find that I can tolerate fewer solids and have to rely more on liquid calories when the temperature spikes. If I eat too many solids, I end up in intestinal distress, which I try to avoid at all costs! I find that the Clif gels I eat regularly during the cooler months leave me feeling sick during the summer. I generally switch out the gels for Clif blocks (more like gummy bears) and Sword or Tailwind.

With just a little preparation you too can enjoy the soggy, sweaty runs of summer! Even through the slow slogs, the speed you’ll feel on the other side when the weather cools is one of the best reasons to do some heat training! You’ll feel like you’re flying effortlessly in those winter months! So get on out there and sweat!

Race Report: Chewacla Cha Cha 10K

Trying not to fall down the hill

Drew and I have a lot of trail races on the ole race calendar for the next month or so, this being the first. The race happened to be the inaugural race held in the town of Auburn, Drew’s alma mater town! When he heard about the race, he got a crew together with the thought that everyone would run the race and then later go to the game.

We hit up a super-cool Air B-n-B and rested up day before the race. Up bright and early, the crew made our way to Chewacla State Park to hit the trails. All of us had signed up for the 10K option and so we got our bibs and milled about before the race, chatting with folks and checking out the trails. At 8am, away we went!

The heat and humidity were oppressive — even at 8am. The beginning of the race was hectic as the 5K and 10K folks all started together. I tried sprinting to get ahead, but I got stuck in the conga line, as Drew called it. I chugged along behind folks because it was just impossible to pass. I didn’t really mind though, because the heat was pretty intense and the hills were a little more heinous than I had anticipated.

This one will be flat, Drew said. There won’t be many hills at all, Drew said. Drew, unfortunately, was wrong. The hills weren’t bad, but they were numerous and rolling. The piece de resistance, though, was the massive hill right at the end of the looped course. The 10K option was a two-loop trek through the state park, and the views were beautiful–hills and all!

My feet are hurting, but I keep smiling!

About half-way through the first loop, I realized my feet were really hurting….like reaaaaally hurting. My poor feet were feeling every little rock and bump in the trail, making me feel more tired than I really was. For some reason, my shoes had just flattened out and weren’t springing back at all. I kind of felt like the little mermaid, as I ran. Mind you, not the pretty Disney character– oh no! I felt more like old-school, walking on shards of glass little mermaid. It was an unpleasant experience to say the least.

 

As I chugged along behind folks, I rounded a corner and, bam, we had finished the first loop. I stared at my Garmin in disbelief once I saw the time until I realized, the course was short…. Way short. The end result of the two loops was about 4.5 miles.

Even though the course was short, the race was seriously fun! The four of us made our way back with our medals and then most of the others had much fun at the game (even though Auburn lost… I’m cursed, I tell you! I should never be near sporting events!).

All-in-all, Chewacla was a great warm up for the main event next week: The Georgia Jewel!

Victory!