5 tips to help you beat the heat on your run this summer

The winter running season has its’ own set of affiliated excuses that can prevent many a runner from getting out the door, so once spring rolls around we are more than happy to feel the extra warmth in the mornings and welcome the earlier rising of the sun. However, what happens when the excuse of ‘it’s too cold’ is replaced by ‘it’s too hot’? Summer running can be tricky, but don’t let the extra heat become another excuse on your list for not getting out the door. Follow these handy tips to help keep your training up this summer.

• Wear a hat and sunscreen. First up, this is a matter of health – protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun with a 30 or 50+ sports grade sunscreen. For extra protection, wear a hat or visor which also doubles as a sweat catcher!
• Stay hydrated. If you don’t like to carry a water bottle with you, make sure you plan out your route to take in the local area taps or bubblers. On average, adults need to drink about 8 glasses or approximately 2 litres of water each day. This increases as you exercise and even more so when it’s hot, so make sure you drink before, during and after each run.
• Find a shady route. Take the burning heat away and find a tree-lined path or bush trail which provides shade. It may still be humid, but having one less heat source makes a huge difference.
• Run early or late. This is a no-brainer…early in the morning is the coolest and best time to run to avoid the scorching summer heat, followed closely by sundown or evening.
• Take a wet buff or sports towel. This is my absolute favourite piece of advice for summer running. Take a wet buff with you and wear it around your neck or head to keep you cool, re-wetting each time you grab a drink. Recently my friend and I discovered Coolcore Chill Sports Towels and they are fantastic for cooling body temperature during a run; we can’t rate them highly enough!

Use these tips to help fight the ‘too hot’ excuse and acclimatise your body (and brain) in no time.

Why not join one of our early morning training sessions this summer and beat the heat with Rachel’s Runners? See what we have on offer over December and January here – https://rachelsrunners.com/2016/11/26/special-decemberjanuary-run-coaching-sessions-plus-something-for-the-kids/