Orlando Run TEAM

Our Saturday group runs are turning out to be a great event.  Friends are bringing friends and word of mouth is helping our Team LUNA Chix’s grow.  Now that we have entered the summer running season here in Orlando it is sometimes difficult to run in the Florida heat.  Even a 30 minute run in the early morning can turn out to be dangerous if you don’t take the right precautions.  I have listed 10 tips for running in the heat which will help every runner get thru their run.

Choose Clothing Carefully: Light-colored, loose-fitting clothing will help your body breathe and cool itself down naturally.

Shower before you run: Take a cold shower or wet your hair before you run. Lowering your skin temperature before you go out can help you stand the heat a little longer.

Wear Sunscreen: The sun drains energy out of you especially if it is given the chance to burn you. Protect your skin with a waterproof sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15 and offers broad spectrum protection, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Wear Shades: Good pair of running sunglasses help protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging rays. Also, wearing running sunglasses helps prevent headaches that come from squinting.

Get Adapted: Give your body a week or two to adapt to the heat. If hot weather starts suddenly, do shorter runs until your body adapts to the heat.

Run in the morning: Generally, it’s cooler and less humid in the morning. And, summer air quality levels are worse late in the afternoon.

Drink fluids while you are running in the heat: Sweating in the heat accelerates the loss of electrolytes that need to be replenished regularly throughout your run for safety and endurance reasons. If your running time is extended beyond 30 minutes, be sure to include a drink with carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Avoid substances that dehydrate the body: Be sure to restrict caffeine and alcohol. Some medications, such as antihistamines, are also dehydration risks (for longer races in particular).

Don’t Push It: Heat and humidity can be dangerous. Be aware of the signs of overheating. On a race day (or during any intense workout), take weather conditions into account. Brutal heat and humidity mean you should scale back your performance goals. Don’t try to beat the heat. If you feel dizzy or if your skin feels clammy, stop and get out of the sun.

Stay out of cold air-conditioned rooms: If at all possible, the day before and on the morning of the race, stay out of cold rooms. The shock to the body from that really cold room to the really hot race will be less.