Performance problems in the heat

With the British summer now in full swing, well until the rain that is bound to come now that Wimbledon and Glastonbury are upon us, running is becoming a hot, sunny and sweaty affair.

Here is a look at problems running in the summer can course:

Dehydration - the first thing you think about when it gets hotter. Drinking plenty is a fairly obvious solution but a hydration strategy is less obvious and is necessary to make sure you get enough fluids. Think of hydrating as a marathon not a sprint as you need to drink plenty and increase your fluids over a long period not just a short time before your run. My strategies include; drinking a pint of water first thing when you get up, carrying a water bottle with you at all times and eating plenty of water dense fruit and vegetables like cucumber and melon.

Rehydration tip - my quick, cheap and easy tip for staying hydrated or re-hydrating after a run is to make a pint of fairly strong fruit squash and add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar so you can replenish your salts and sugars lost through sweating. Give it a good stir and it works a treat! 

Dehydration can then lead to cramps and stitches as direct negative affects of not getting enough fluids. I am aware of a noticeable increase in cramps while running in the summer compared to the cooler months. Once you develop a cramp while running it can be hard to shift but its a good indicator that you haven't been drinking enough and you need to increase your fluid intake.

Tiredness - I for one feel much more tired in the heat and can often feel pretty drained from being out and about in the sun before I even start running. I try to keep in the shade where possible, dribk plenty and stay cool by drinking icy drinks. The main way I try to increase my energy levels in the heat is by taking glucose tablets to keep my blood sugar levels up and replace what I lose in sweat, these are so easy to pop in your pocket when you are out on a run.

Sweat in the eye - one of the most painful ailments known to man surely!?! Certainly one of my least favorite issues caused by running and can be much more debilitating than it sounds as if you cant see cause your eye is clenched up in pain then you cant see to run! There are no real cures for this other than trying to mop sweat from your head and face before it can run into your eye and being careful not to rub your eyes with sweaty hands.

Sweat - sweat is an inevitable consequence of running in the heat and sun and sweat soaked running kit clinging and sticking to you can quickly become very uncomfortable. These days there are so many materials that are marketed as 'sweat resistant', 'climate control' or 'breathable' that are designed to make running more comfortable. Try out different materials to find what works best for you. My tip is to wear a top that's a little baggier and longer than normal so you have a bit of extra stretch and material to mop sweat from your face to help you feel a bit less sweaty.

Bright sun - when we are lucky enough in Britain to have a bright sunny day we are often so quick to complain about it! I don't want to complain or moan about bright sunny days but some strong sun can cause problems when running by limiting your vision either of whats around you or of your footing below you. Sunglasses and caps are obvious solutions but not everyone, myself included likes running with these but a bit of extra care needs to be taken to avoid running into anything or any trip hazards.

Hayfever - last but by no means least hayfever, sniffly nose, runny nose, swore sinuses, swore throat, head aches, runny eyes are all hayfever symptoms that can then impact upon running. Of course hayfever can be so debilitating it can leave you housebound with a trail run in the countryside the last thing on your mind. Recently I have been struggling with a dry throat that feels coarse and makes you feel you always need to cough and this has been problematic as it has affected my breathing but I am thankful that the affect of hayfever on my running are so mild and I can still run. I suppose the best ways to combat hayfever are to take medication as appropriate and in terms of running avoid rural routes or route containing allergy causing trees, flowers or plants. Running at different times of the day can also be beneficial and with pollen forecasts now being widely available its easy to gauge when hayfever is going to be more of an issue and try to avoid those times and days accordingly. 

Summer is of course the ideal time for running with warmer temperatures, longer evenings and sunnier skies. Whatever the negative factors and problems get out there and make the most of it because after all the British summer never lasts that long! 

When runs go wrong

This morning I headed over to my local parkrun at Harrow Lodge with the view of hopefully seeing some returns on my increased training in the form of a PB.

However it was not to be as I experienced one of my worst shorter runs I can remember.

Although my time was only 30seconds slower than when I did it a few weeks ago I felt so bad and struggled all the way round.

So as a way of reflecting on what went wrong, putting todays run to bed and learning from the experience here is my break down of where it all went wrong. 

Hayfever - This week I have struggled a bit with hayfever in my throat, that feeling where you always feel like coughing and cant quite clear your throat. So this certainly didnt help as I felt my breathing was really affected and subsequently my performance suffered. 

Heat - This morning was particualy hot compared to the rest of the week and I struggled with thesr conditions and I was also probably dehydrated from sitting out in the sun and heat. 

Flapjack - I have been trying out different breakfast options for when I am out running in the morning and have been eating a flapjack recently. Although this has worked well for longer slower runs it didnt work well for this faster run. 

Pints - no early morning has ever been made better or easier by a few pints the night before. This mornings run was certainly not helped by the fact I had a few pints out at the cricket last night.

Lack of sleep - Its been a long and busy week and for one reason and another I have not had much sleep and I think this morning it had caught up with me as I felt mentally and physically a bit jaded.

Hard week training - I think also my increased training in the last few weeks as I gear up for my marathon had an adverse affect on me this morning as my legs struggled a bit with keeping up with the aches and pain of training. 

Poor warm up - I was late this morning and was literally running late to get to tge start at a decent time. Usually pre park run I get there around 10 minutes before and do a bit of a warm up but this morning I only had time for a wuick loosen up before it was time to start. Although I didnt feel any adverse affects during the start I thibk overall it did affect me and meant I was running as well as I could have been and meant things were more of a struggle than they should have been. 

Whatever the problems and however I think of them I think it is important to lay to rest the wrongs of a bad run and put them to oneside ready to go again for the next run!