Have you ever been outside in the middle of summer when the air is so thick with moisture it is hard to breathe, let alone run? Running in the heat is hard enough, but when humidity levels are high exercise can become nearly unbearable. There is good news though, if you take the proper precautions, your training does not have to halt simply because of muggy summer weather.
When trying to understand how to run in the humidity, it is first important to know why humidity makes exercise challenging. It has to do with the way the human body cools itself: sweating. When we exercise, our core temperature rises and to ensure that our bodies do not overheat we begin to sweat. It is not the act of sweating itself that cools us, but rather that the sweat evaporates off our skin into the air, taking with it small amounts of body heat. But when the air has a high level of humidity, there is already a large amount of water vapor in the air. This makes it hard for the sweat to evaporate, because the air is already close saturation (meaning it cannot hold more water vapor). When our sweat does not evaporate, our body struggles to cool itself so we cannot perform at the same level as we would in a cooler temperature at low humidity.
One other issue with humidity is that because our body can't cool itself, it begins sweating even more. This can lead to dehydration. So, when preparing to run in hot and humid weather, there are several important tips to keep in mind. First, make sure to be drinking water before, during and after every run to prevent dehydration. Preferably, you would pair that water with some form of electrolyte replacement sports drink because electrolytes help our bodies maintain water levels.
It is hard to know the exact amount of water one should drink because different runners' bodies use water at different rates. As a rule, keep a water bottle with you at all times. Be conscious that you are drinking water throughout the day, but at no time should you need to chug water. You should also be aware that because hot and humid weather makes running more challenging, you should slow down and shorten each training run. This will not negatively affect training, but if you try to push through extreme weather it can be detrimental to you running as well as your general health.
Finally, run in the mornings, when it tends to be less hot, or the evenings, when it is usually less humid. If you cannot avoid midday runs, try to do them in shady areas, away from the unforgiving rays of the sun.
One final note of importance is that extremely hot weather can lead to certain illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The most common signs of these illnesses are nausea, headache, fatigue, decreased sweating, and dizziness, though there are many other indicators.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important that you stop exercising and call 911 immediately. Heat related illness is incredibly serious and can lead to death. These ailments can be avoided in most situations, though, by taking the precautions detailed above.
Remember, even though running in hot, humid weather is challenging, your body will grow accustomed to it after a short time and be able to perform more effectively in those conditions. If you follow these instructions and always heed the warning signs of heat-related illness, your training will never have to suffer due to summer weather.