Running in the heat is a paradox: the summer is coming, it’s starting to get hot, but it’s just when the temperatures rise that you have to be more careful when practicing outdoor sports. Particularly when it comes to running in the heat, with the risks of dehydration and heat stroke always lurking. And there’s also a myth to dispel: running in the heat isn’t the best way to lose weight. Sweating profusely does not mean burning fat and losing weight. Sweating profusely means losing a lot of fluids, to be replenished carefully.
In short, running in the summer is beautiful and also has its advantages, but before setting off with the sun shining down, it is better to take note of some tricks for running in the heat.
1. Warm up
The fact that the external temperature is high does not mean that you shouldn’t warm up: the muscles and joints still need an activation phase even when it’s hot. Of course it can be shorter, but before pushing hard it is good to plan some joint mobility exercises and some gait that prepare the body for the race.
2. Drink before, during and after
Because of the heat sweating is undoubtedly greater that in winter, and with sweating, fluids and mineral salts are lost in abundance. Waiting for the sensation of thirst before drinking is the most serious mistake one can make: when one is thirsty it means that our body is already in conditions of water shortage. The ideal is to drink before, during and after the run: for the before and after, we refer you to the insights you find below; to drink during there are a couple of runner tricks. The first consists of running on a defined circuit that provides for the possibility of drinking (a water fountain or a bottle that we leave at the starting point); otherwise those who practice the so-called long ones normally scatter bottles of water along the route at regular intervals (and then come back to collect the plastic bottles…)
Read also: Supplements and sports drinks: which ones to choose and when to use them
3. Eat fruits and vegetables
Sure, drinking is important, but you can’t fill up on liquids before running either, also for the risk of Iponatriemia. So how do you ingest liquids during the day? That’s right: eating fruits and vegetables for breakfast and as snacks between meals.
Read also: Fruit and vegetables against stuffiness and tiredness
4. Dress little, light and technical
The reasons why dressing little to run in the heat are easy to understand: a pair of short and light shorts, a tank top (for him) or even just the top (for her) are the best way to allow sweat to do its thing. craft, thermoregulate body temperature. But then be careful what you choose: cotton is to be avoided absolutely, because it retains perspiration, gets soaked and becomes heavy; technical garments are often breathable, i.e. they wick sweat away from the skin, but sometimes they can be excessively breathable, preventing it from performing its task. If desired, there are t-shirts with new refreshing technologies.
Read also: Why not wear cotton clothes when playing sports
5. Use sunscreen
Especially if it’s your first sun and first rides in the heat: it’s not useful against the heat but against UVA rays and the consequent dangers for the skin. And you don’t need to be at the beach to be afraid of getting burned: even in the city the sun beats down hard in the summer.
Read also: Natural remedies against sunburn
6. Run away from concrete buildings and buildings
Saying “run in the shade is trivial”: often the shadow is cast by the buildings from which it is better to stay away from. Especially at the end of the day houses, palaces and commercial buildings give off heat, increasing the perceived temperature and therefore perspiration. And the radiant heat phenomenonso better stay away from it. If you can go for a run in a park in the shade of trees, that’s great. Especially in the morning when the air is cooler. If you can’t, better 5 laps of the same park than a few km between houses and cars.
Credits: Wallconvert
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