Froggie Ted Distance Runner: Running in the Heat of the Summer

It is that time of year again here in the Valley of the Sun where the temperatures start to soar. When I get up at 5:00 am to go out for my runs, I am never sure how warm it is going to be. It can be anywhere from 70 to 85 degrees and the sun will be just cresting the horizon. I know that by midday I will be enjoying the triple digits when I head out to lunch or errands. I am not complaining. As the Valley residents say, "We are just paying back for the beautiful fall, winter and spring weather we enjoy here every year."

But I do know that as I run here in Scottsdale, I have to adjust my expectations for speed and endurance when I plan my daily runs. The one advantage I have living here in Arizona is that the humidity is usually less than 10%. While temperature alone can cause your pace to slow down, humidity makes it even harder to run strong. When I run in high humidity while travelling for work, I find that my legs feel heavier than normal and breathing is harder. For me, taking deep breaths in humid air is nearly impossible. If I have to run in high temperatures, I would rather it be in a dry climate like Phoenix.

As runners, we need to alter our actions and expectations as the weather gets hotter. We need to realize and accept that our bodies react differently in hot weather. As the temperatures rise, so do our heart rates and perceived effort. Therefore, we can’t go out and expect to run at the same paces we have been running consistently during the winter and early spring. More importantly, we should not press ourselves in the heat from a health and safety standpoint. This is the time of year that you really need to listen to your body. It is important to understand that your perceived effort is reality and you need to adjust your pace accordingly.

I have read so many different opinions of how heat will affect your pace. One opinion states that for every degree of temperature above 65 degrees you should adjust your pace by 2 seconds per mile. In my case, I was averaging 8:50 per mile consistently during my marathon training. This would mean that when it is 75 degrees out (like this morning), I should expect to run 20 seconds slower on my morning runs or 9:10 per mile. I have found that for me this calculation is true.

The second most common opinion states that for every 10-degree increase in air temperature above 55 degrees, there’s a 1.5 percent to 3 percent increase in average finishing time for your run. The theory is that the slow-down occurs due to heats impact on runners at a physiological level through various means, including dehydration, increased heart rate and reduced blood flow to the muscles used for running. I find that this one is a little harder to pin down because you could also be having an off day. Regardless this is another good way to measure how you are doing when it is hot outside.

You also need to monitor your heart rate when running in the heat. We all know that our heart rate rises when we exercise. This is to get more oxygen to our muscles. But now we also have to cool our bodies while we are running in the heat. When it is hot, our bodies push blood nearer the surface of the skin to dissipate heat, which means less blood available to your muscles. This, of course, puts more pressure on the cardiovascular system making our heart rate rise. Therefore you have to slow down (sometimes drastically) in hot weather to stay within a comfortable exercise zone and not cause your body temperature to rise out of control. An increase in temperature of about 20 degrees Fahrenheit could cause your heart rate to increase by 10 beats per minute for the same workout as you did on a cooler day.

I know that we runners don't like to slow down because we see it as weakness. While I know I shouldn't feel that way, I still do. I find myself getting frustrated when my pace slows during the summer months even though I know it is temporary. The key is not letting it shake your confidence. Stay true to your training and slow it down. In the end, you will be back to normal as the fall approaches. You will be glad you got your miles in and be ready for some strong fall and winter training.

Here are a few tips I have found work for me to help when faced with running in the heat. Please do not take heat lightly and be smart out there.

Reduce your clothing. Strip down to the fewest clothes you can wear and still remain decent. I recommend picking light colors. I prefer loose fitting shirts so that they don't stick to me as I run. Yes, even wicking shirts will cling to you if you are a heavy sweater like me. (Sorry for that image).
Run as early as you can. Here in Arizona it is still in the triple digits near and right after sunset. So, the only time I can run in relatively cool temps is before 7:00 a.m. You should avoid running at the hottest part of the day which is usually between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Slow down. As you know the ideal running temperature is between 50º-55º and overcast. As I said above, your pace will adjust naturally to compensate for the heat. Why not just slow down in the first place and run comfortably. You will not lose any of your fitness level.
Hydrate. I carry a water bottle with me when I am going out. It is a 24 oz bottle and I try to sip off of it at each 1/2 mile. If you can cache water along the route when you are going out for extended runs that would be ideal. In some cases, you may be able to create a route that has places you could replenish your water like a local park or shopping center.

To ensure you are hydrating properly, it is a good idea to weigh yourself pre- and post-run to gauge how much liquid you lose during an average run. This is typically known as your sweat rate. One pound of weight loss equals 1 pint of water loss. Once you know your sweat rate you can use it to determine your fluid needs during a training run or race. For example, if you lose 2 pounds during an hour run, that's 2 pints or 32 ounces. So, you will need to be able to replace your fluid loss by taking in 8 ounces of water or sports beverage every 15 minutes.

One other thing to note when you are doing high mileage or logging several consecutive days in the heat is to add foods high in potassium to your diet. Potassium helps you to maintain a healthy fluid balance in your body. It also plays an important role in making sure our nerves and muscles work effectively. You will find potassium in most fruits and vegetables. Besides bananas, dried apricots, figs, raisins and prunes are all excellent sources of potassium. You can also get potassium from tomatoes and tomato products like spaghetti sauce, salsa and ketchup. So you don't have to gorge yourselves on bananas to increase your potassium levels.

I am by no means an expert and there are numerous articles out there that you can look up for more detailed information regarding running and training in the heat. I intend to run throughout the summer here in Scottsdale and will do my best to not let the slower paces get me down. Instead I am going to focus on how amazingly fast I will be when the temperatures start to fall back to that ideal level.

May 26 – 5.10 miles (47:45, 9:14 pace)

May 27 – 6.10 miles (59:53, 9:49 pace)

May 28 – 2.10 miles (20:01, 9:31 pace)

May 29 – 6.10 miles (58:27, 9:31 pace)

May 30 – 5.10 miles (47:36, 9:19 pace)

May 31 – 6.20 miles (55:42, 8:57 pace)

June 1 – 6.20 miles (57:51, 9:23 pace)

June 2 – 5.10 miles (46:42, 9:14 pace)

June 3 – 6.20 miles (58:39, 9:27 pace)

June 4 – 2.10 miles (20:19, 9:38 pace)

June 5 – 6.20 miles (59:21, 9:34 pace)

June 6 – 5.20 miles (49:13, 9:17 pace)