By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Last weekend gave us runners a preview of brutal summer weather in South Florida. It wasn’t as bad as mid-July, but in mid-May, it signaled what’s ahead. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, expect this soon.

The line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin, and if you cross it, you can get seriously hurt. So, my yearly blog post urging runners to stay on top of their training during the summer has been forced to be published earlier than expected.

Adjust your training and expectations for survival, not just performance. Heat injuries can permanently impact your health and your running future.

Here are five adjustments for safe training during the summer.

1 – Know what’s happening – You can’t fight the weather; you can only adjust for safe running. Two basic things occur:

1A – When air turns humid, it feels thicker, making each run more effortful. Running at the same speed takes more work.

1B – The second one is basic biology: The human body cools off by sweating, and the blood is about 92% water. The more you sweat without replenishing fluids, the more water gets sucked out of your bloodstream, and the thicker the blood becomes, the more difficult it is to circulate. This spells deep trouble.

2 – Adjust your running time – If the brutal summer is an unavoidable part of your home zip code, your options for outdoor running are reduced to: A- adjusting to run in the heat/humidity, or B- not running at all. If you choose A, you must do so at the coolest time possible, when it is gentler to the body. The basic choices are before sunrise or after sunset. Wake up earlier or wait until later. If you can’t, there is always a frightening Option C: The dreaded treadmill.

A good hack is to keep a running shirt and hat in the freezer and put them on right before you hit the road. This will cool your core and provide you with a few comfortable initial miles before the inevitable sets in.

3 – Slow your pace – Do you know why mainstream races take place in the fall or the spring? Who wants their goal race in the thick of a scorching summer? This is the time to get ready for the upcoming season; the time to tackle strength training and base building. The latter is achieved by running at a lower effort level, regardless of speed. Your fall and spring PRs are built during the summer. Don’t worry about what “the fast” people may think. Stop posting on Instagram if your followers’ opinions matter.

4 – Overhydration is a real danger – Your body is designed to lose fluids as you run, without replenishing every single drop of sweat. So, don’t fall into the temptation of overindulging in water or sports drinks. Hyponatremia is a serious condition that happens when too much fluid is ingested, diluting your sodium levels to the point that it may cause seizures, coma, and even death.

Hydration is not just about what you consume while running. Hydration is a 24/7 habit that has you ready to go by the time you press start in your GPS watch.

For more on hyponatremia, I invite you to read the Cleveland Clinic’s website on this serious condition.

5 – Beware of the signs – The challenges of summer running go beyond training earlier, later, or slower. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are among the most serious dangers in inhospitable climates. It’s each runner’s responsibility to recognize the symptoms and adjust before it becomes a 911 call. With luck, a mishap may keep you out for a few weeks; without it, it could kill you. In a previous post, I wrote about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. I invite you to revisit it by clicking here.

In Conclusion

There are no medals or podiums during training. Be smart and remember you are only getting ready for next season.

Running in heat and humidity is doable if you prepare properly. Never lose sight of the fact that you need to live to run another day. As stated earlier, the line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin, and if you cross it, you may get seriously hurt.

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