Thankfully we are beginning to see some sunshine and warmer, yet humid, weather. Great news for sun worshipers and lovers of the great outdoors, however, not so good for the athletes among us. FieldandTrek.com have come up with a few of their top tips on how to keep your cool when trail running this summer.
Firstly, it is predominately the humidity that makes exercising much more difficult. When humidity levels are high you sweat more and as a result lose more fluids, so you need to ensure that you keep well hydrated. Jen Gibson, a sport detrition with the U.S. Olympic Committee recently said in Women’s Health magazine you should ideally start hydrating one hour before you hit the road and not just chug a bunch of liquid at once, but to allow it to slowly absorb into your system. You should also keep drinking whilst your running as you will sweat a lot more in the heat, so make sure you have a hydration pack or at least a water bottle.
Think about what you’re wearing. You want to feel as comfortable and cool as possible when you’re out on your run so opt for light colours, loose fitting tops and loose shorts to help keep your temperature down. You may also want to think about swapping your ordinary trail running shoes (http://www.fieldandtrek.com/Running/Footwear/Mens/Trail-R...) for ones that offer more breathability and ventilation so your feet don’t feel sweaty and hot.
Although nobody really likes the thought of getting up any earlier than you have to, if you do want to continue with your training regime it is a good idea to reconsider the times at which you run. Running before work, between the hours of 5-8am, are when the humidity and heat will be at its lowest and will enable you to run at a similar speed and distance to what you are used to, without putting too much strain on your body.
If you have tried and tested the above tips and the heat is still defeating you then there is no shame in stepping indoors and continuing your training on the treadmill, after all they are air conditioned! You could always opt to run outdoors in the morning or evening once a week and then go on the treadmill on your other training days.
One of the positives to running in the heat is that it does work your muscles harder and , as you do in the colder months, you will burn more calories. Just make sure that you stay hydrated, take it down a notch if needed and swap your running clothing and shoes for lighter, looser versions!
For more top tips on trail running visit FieldandTrek’s blog (http://www.fieldandtrek.com/news?utm_source=prlog&utm...) or visit their official Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FieldandTrekUK?utm_source=prlog&...) and Twitter pages.
