Melting

 Y'all, it has been HAWT

Hot enough that I nearly took the "trail" on the right

The last couple of days have seen heat warnings in our area, so I figured I'd do a quick run-down of strategies for not dying in this weather.

1. Shade

If you can run a shaded route, you eliminate the additional heating effects of solar radiation, which can have a major impact on athletic performance. Pretty straightforward.

Though easier said than done in some places

2. Timing

If you can possibly run very early or very late in the day, you can avoid the worst of the heat. I used to do a lot of my mid-week running around 3:30-4:30pm, when it was typically at the hottest point of the day. It was tough, and introduced a lot of extra stress on what were supposed to be "easy effort" runs.

I'm either smarter or just lazier now, and tend to run in the evenings after 7pm

3. Hydration

When it's over 28c/82f, I don't care how short the run is - I'm bringing water, usually in a hand bottle. Hydration levels directly affect your body's thermoregulation capabilities, so it only makes sense to give yourself the opportunity to drink freely while out there pushing. I use a lightweight, soft bottle that holds enough for about 45mins of running, and add a vest with additional carrying capacity for anything longer.

I'll also add a scoop of sport drink mix for longer workouts, as carbohydrate and sodium both help with absorption and transport of fluids

4. Conductive cooling

That hand bottle? Throw some ice in it, and it becomes a source of conductive cooling against the palm of your hand - which studies have shown is an effective method to increase exercise capacity. If your bottle has a narrow, finicky opening you can pick up a stick-style ice tray (random amzn link example - I do not own or endorse that particular one) to make endless amounts of bottle ice. If you're using a hydration vest, stick some ice in it too! The conductive cooling against your chest or back will be even more effective, though the ice likely won't last as long.

You can also just dump some ice in your pockets, or your bra!

5. Evaporative cooling

You don't really need anything fancy here - I did some testing last summer, and found that the moisture-holding properties of a cotton shirt or even just a cotton bandana significantly helped with cooling, particularly if you can catch a breeze. I'd never recommend such things in cold weather, when your primary goal should be to transport moisture away from your skin as much as possible...but when it's hot, soggy can be good!

Cotton bandana around the neck, pre-soaked in water before heading out.
Wearing one around your wrist can be effective as well

6. Clothing choices

At a basic level, lighter colours will absorb less heat energy than darker ones. If you want to get all fancy, some companies - notably DeSoto (Skin Cooler), Columbia (Omni-Freeze Zero), and New Balance (NB Ice) - have developed fabrics that have active cooling technology. I have a couple of items of each type, and they do make a difference, though possibly not enough to justify their cost. Still, being made for active pursuits, the flatlocked seams on the items I own would be much less likely to chafe during long runs.

Bright-coloured NB Ice shirt on the left - generic black shirt on the right.
Which do you think is going to keep me cooler?

7. Pacing

The reality is that no matter what cooling strategies you employ, high heat and humidity is likely to overwhelm them sooner or later. In order to avoid heat stress, you'll have to slow down - please allow yourself the grace to do so, and to walk as needed. You can build some acclimatization through shorter, easier workouts, but if you push too hard during heat warnings like we've had the last couple of days, you can do real damage that could derail your entire race season. Focus on the long term, and be gentle with yourself!

Discretion is the better part of valor - you don't have to be a hero, just show up again tomorrow!

Fortunately, the weather has broken for now, and it looks like it'll be a great day for the Niagara Ultra tomorrow. Tank and I will be volunteering at the 10k aid station, so if you're racing we'll see you out there!