The Heat is Beating Me

As I write this we here in the Northwest have just had a rare stretch of hot summer weather, with temperatures up in the 90s and a UV index that challenged even the heartiest sunscreens. And after what seems like a full year of gray, damp, cool weather, no one was particular prepared to battle the heat. It's probably too late for this column, since this morning's forecast called for highs in the 60s and a chance of rain, but the sun will return. I promise. Usually just when the kids are back in school. Wait for it...

I'll just speak for myself here. I wasn't ready for the heat. I have gone through more sports drink* in the last few weeks than I ever drank in the past. Whether the stuff works or not, I have never craved it like I do of late. I cringe at what that Windex (err, I mean "window cleaner") blue-colored sports drink does to my insides.

My mostly bald dome is suffering too, and I realize one benefit all you hair guys have over me: the sweat just doesn't run right off your head into your eyes. But that's clearly the ONLY benefit to having a full head of hair.

Running in the heat is a challenge, and for as much as I like to be flip and make fun of things, heat stroke is a serious, serious issue. When you are running in the heat, even if it doesn't feel terribly hot, hydrate! Carry water even on short runs, and drink consistently. On a day to day basis, you should really only drink when you feel thirsty, but when you are pushing yourself and when the conditions are hot, you need to be more proactive about hydration than usual.

What else can you do to fight off the stresses of running in the heat? Here's a few ideas:

• Be shady. Pick a route that has a lot of trees or at least some spots where you can duck into some shade and cool down. Sections of the Burke Gilman and Centennial Trails are excellent for this.
• Wear a hat. A ballcap (especially a mesh one meant for runners) will shade your face and keep you a bit cooler. 
• Wear white. One of my favorite hot weather running shirts is actually a lightweight long sleeve technical shirt. White (well, ok, off-white now). It doesn't absorb heat and the long sleeves keep more of my pale northern European skin covered.
• Sprinklers! Time your runs for when the city turns on the sprinklers, or run in neighborhoods that - environment be damned - keep their lawns nicely manicured. You know the ones: they're where you don't live and are usually on top of the hill.
• Wait it out. Once the sun gets low in the evening, the running conditions improve drastically. Grab a light and head out after dinner.
• Take the day off. It's really swimming weather anyway. Pretend you're training for a tri.

Any brutal heat stroke stories? Tips for beating the heat? Let's hear 'em.



*Our lawyers have advised us to not use brand specific names when referring to potentially generic items. So where I normally would have typed "Gatorade" here, I had to default to the less poetic and slightly more clinical "sports drink." I will also refrain from "Body Glide" and will instead say "lubricant for the unmentionable area." Kleenex is Kleenex. Let's be honest.**


**The truth is we don't have lawyers here at Real Running and this is just a sort of gag that seemed funny when I started it but now that I am considering publishing this post seems significantly less so.