6 Tips to Stay Cool While Running in the Heat , Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 12:00 AM, in

Running is one of my favorite things to do. On a perfect day I can go seven miles and feel good at the end.  When the temperature rises outside though, the heat drains the life out of me. It also increases your risk for heatstroke.
When it's hot out take a few simple precautions to keep your body temperature down:
The coolest time of the day is most likely in the morning. So get up early right before sunrise and get your run in then. Even in the evening the ground is still radiating plenty of heat. Especially on blacktop. If you have park or some other place with trails that are shaded use them to stay out of the sun.
Wearing light fabrics will help evaporate sweat. I like the technical fabrics that are available that wick away the moisture from the body.





Slow your pace and don't plan to go as far as normally would.
Drink before, during and after your run. I usually have a glass or two of water before I go out. While running I'll take a few sips every ten to fifteen minutes.  Then another couple of glasses after I'm done as well.
Take breaks during your run. No one says you have to go the whole distance in one shot. Run a few minutes then walk a minute or two. Where I usually run I'm lucky that there are a couple of fountains along the way. Sometimes I'll stop and stick my arms in and splash my face. Once in awhile I'll catch the sprinklers on at the local university and get a spray from them.






In addition use sunblock, wear a visor or baseball hat and sunglasses. Take the steps to keep your body cool when the heat is on.

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