Is it hot where you live? Currently we are in a week long of sitting on 100 degrees as our high, and I know that for a lot of people even that is not so bad. So what do you do when it’s that hot? Stop training?
Nah! I’m too crazy to do that. So if you’re like me, maybe a few of these summer training tips will help you endure the sweaty miles ahead.
Proper Clothing
Believe me, I am a big advocate of buying inexpensive clothing! I hate spending unwarranted money on things I don’t need to. HOWEVER; when it comes to certain running conditions, you don’t want to be running in the wrong thing. With heat, it’s important to not wear too much (I wear a tank top and shorts almost every day). Make sure nothing is made of cotton – cotton just holds in the heat and soaks up the sweat making you a soggy mess.
Sunglasses
These suckers are my new best friend (also the adorable dog in this photo with me)! I had no idea how great it was to run in sunglasses until I tried it. I was one of those sillies that just assumed sunglasses would bounce while I was running or slide down my nose the moment my face got sweaty. I didn’t ever bring them with me because if I hated wearing them I didn’t want to have to delicately hold them in my hands or stick them in my pack hoping I wouldn’t crush them for the rest of the run.
Turns out my worries were invalid, I got a super inexpensive pair of Puma sunglasses from Costco and they work great! No bouncing, no slipping, no having to hold them in my hand.
Plus! I used to get headaches after my runs from squinting in the sun, and now, no more headaches!
Hats
Some people like to wear a hat and sunglasses, I’m kind of a one or the other chick and I have to admit, most of the time I prefer sunglasses in the summer. Wearing a hat in the summer makes my head hot (I have thick hair) and I feel kind of sweaty and itchy underneath it…not a big fan of that! I actually wear hats running more often in the winter to keep the rain and snow out of my eyes! Haha.
However! I know some people LOVE wearing hats and visors in the summer, so here’s a secret my husband taught me. You can wash all that nasty sweat out of it in the dishwasher! WHAT? Yeah…and then you don’t ruin the shape of your hat.
Hydration Packs
Bringing water with you is great…even if you think you won’t need it, do it, you never know! Heck, you may not need it but maybe you find an unprepared individual on a trail whose life depends on your responsible position of bringing water…ya never know! But really, I like to bring water anytime I’m going more than 4 or 5 miles in the summer and it’s not even a burden because I can’t tell I’m wearing my hydration backpack.
Curious about what kind of hydration pack you should get? I’ve got a product review that lays out the different features of a backpack, belt, handheld, and vest. Check it out!
Early Hours
The stunningly obvious one that everyone tells you about…run early! Which normally I do, I’m one of the early birds that gets out there by or before 6am. However, I slacked last week and didn’t get out until after 10am and it was disgusting! I sweat so much I had salt crusted to my head after. So I guess I’m one of the painfully obvious people now that definitely suggests getting out there before the sun does.
Cooling Towel
So this one is new for me. Funny enough, my husband got the idea from a product I bought for my dog.
I got Joey a cooling vest that you soak in water, wring out, and then zip it on him…the evaporation of the cool water helps keep him cooler for longer and allows him to run more miles with me in the heat. My husband started telling me about a similar super evaporative material that they use in cooling towels…next thing I know he got me one!
I love the towel, it really does stay cool for hours and it feels GREAT to stick on your head and neck after a hot run. I usual take my towel throw it on my head and sit down to enjoy a bottle of cold water after a hot run.