Hot Times in the City

Dave K
Keeping Cool
With Our Cool Cats

I used to not mind running when it's HOT. Until a few summers ago when I had a scary heat-running incident (and this was before enduring the high heat of the 2012 Boston Marathon).

I ran a summer race in 2009, and then stopped to drink before continuing on for more miles to make it my long-run. I ran with a fluid belt and wore the right clothing, and unlike at Boston in the spring I was acclimated to summer running. So, I thought I'd taken sufficient precautions in the heat.

But I didn't head home right away, and soon after I got home I became extremely dizzy. And nauseous. And disoriented (i.e., more than usual). I lied down with the air conditioner blasting. I took a cold shower. I put ice packs on my head and neck. And I didn't feel any better.

No one else was home, and I started to feel a little bit scared. I called a friend whose sister is a doctor. I wondered if I was suffering heat stroke. It turned out that it was not heat stroke, but the less severe heat exhaustion. It took several days until I felt back to normal.

So, although I may still say that I don't mind the heat (much), and while I still want to preserve my tough-guy macho image (no laughing, please), I now take more precautions. So here's some advice that I'll pass along so that others may not pass out.  Actually, it's all pretty obvious stuff, below, and my real point is to just suggest to please be careful out there, heed your body's warning signals, and don't try to be such a tough guy or gal that you end up in the hospital.

• Not Too Proud for the Med Tent.  After the 2011 Queens Half Marathon -- a very hot and humid day -- I felt nauseous and woozy.  Fearing heat exhaustion, I went straight to the medical tent.  There, I quickly was put in front of a fan, given COLD Gatorade, and had bags of ice put on my head, neck and under my arms.  NYRR CEO Mary Wittenberg even checked in on me and the other runners who were doing likewise.  20 minutes later I left the tent feeling fine.
• Salt, Salt and More Salt.  I sweat beyond belief.  And on hot and humid days I'd been prone to muscle cramps after races.  Until Flyer Janis E turned me on to salt.  Now I take as much as one fast-food salt packet every six miles during a long-run or long race.  I find that it actually gives me an energy boost, real or imagined, and has helped with the cramping.  Sometimes I'll take Endurolytes instead, which also helps replace what I sweat away.
• Chill Out Before and After. Elite runners and others have been known to wear ice vests that they take off right before they race in the heat.  I don't have a heat vest, but I do stay in air-conditioning for as long as I can before heading out, and have even brought a large 7-Eleven Slurpee to the starting line (yum!).  After a race or long-run in the heat, I'll try to get inside to air conditioning ASAP and it's a great time for an ice bath both to knock down muscle swelling and to cool off.
• Lather up. Although my family has a history of skin cancer, I used to think I wouldn't get sunburned in Central Park with all the tree cover, but learned from experience that this is not true.  Now I'm better at coating myself -- Flyer Janine S still makes fun of me for my milky-white coating before a recent race -- and may stick a napkin or something in my pocket for when it mixes with sweat and irritates my eyes.
• Read this.  I learned how to get heat exhaustion, but I'm no expert on how to prevent it. So if you're still reading, I suggest that you read elsewhere about hot-weather running.  Runner's World has a whole bunch of articles posted on their website on Running in the Heat that are excellent resources.  Click here to read Runner's World's heat survival guide. 

And, from Coach Brian D. and the RUN S.M.A.R.T. staff, leaders of the Flyers Fall 2013 Marathon Training Program, here's some additional advice:

• When/where to run.  Running very early is your best option in this weather, unless you can get on a treadmill during the day or evening. If you can get on a treadmill and avoid having to sacrifice sleep from getting up super early to beat the heat - even better! No one sleeps enough so we're big on getting sleep first, if possible. You can have the greatest coach and training plan in the world (us!) but it won't matter if you're not getting proper rest and sleep. 
• Go by effort.  Be honest in this heat - go by effort, not pace! Your pace per mile in 90 degree heat could be at least 20 seconds per mile slower than usual but still be about the same effort. 
• Hydration. Hydrate a little more throughout the day than normal. And don't start the day in debt...everyone is very dehydrated when they wake up. Always drink two big glasses of water the first thing you do when you wake up. This will also help with digestion. 

For more from Coach Brian and Run S.M.A.R.T., click HERE for a link to their post on the Saucony Blog on beating the heat.

Keep cool,

Dave K

NY Flyers Blogmaster