What to do if it starts to get hot along the course?

You have spent the last 4 months training for your race. You have done a proper taper and carbloaded the night before your race. You are wearing your running shoes that have just the right amount of miles on them at the start of the race. You are ready to have a great race!

Then you check the weather and you see it is supposed to be much hotter than what you expected for your race day. So now what do you do? Just keep with your plan, you have done the training you can handle a hotter day? No way! That is the last thing you want to do. Whether you are a first timer or a seasoned runner, you want to adjust your race if it gets hot.

Here are a few ways to adjust your race in the moment so that you can still have a wonderful run without harming yourself.

• Slow down: This is the easiest and probably best thing you can do to help yourself safely cross that finish line. It doesn’t matter if the temperature starts going up at mile 1 or mile 21, just slow your pace to adjust for the increase in the heat. You may just need to adjust by just a few seconds per mile or it may be a few minutes per mile. Either way, feel comfortable adjusting your pace to decrease your body’s effort. This can help you keep your own body temp from rising and allow you to continue having a great rest of your race.
• Hydration: This an answer for many problems runners face and that is often because most of us are not great at getting enough hydration during a race. Hydration is key to a great race. This is even more important when your body is working hard to not over heat when it is hot out. You will sweat even more and your need to replenish that fluid. Don’t skip the water stop when it is hot, slow down and make sure to grab some water or electrolytes.
• Adjust your race day fit: Ok, this one may be a little more helpful before you start your race. Many runners have their planned race day clothes and don’t want to stray from their plan. Have you planned to wear that nice long sleeve black top that makes you look extra fast? Are you a cold runner who dresses for the cool morning and forgets that by mid race it will be much warmer and those long sleeves may not be needed. Don’t forget your body will warm up and you won’t need such warm clothes or that dark long sleeve shirt was not such a great idea. Oh well, it won’t be too bad right? Wrong! When it is hotter than expected, it is important to adjust so that you don’t cause your body to overheat due to your fashion choices. So what can you do? Pick light colors. All black is not the best choice for a run on a hot day. Dress in layers. Wear a long sleeve shirt that you can take off when it gets hot. Try sleeves that you can push down as it gets hot. Wear clothes that breathe and are meant to wick sweat to help you cool.
• Cool yourself down along the course: Anything that you can do to help cool yourself down. When you go through the water stops, save a little of that water to pour over your head. Bring a small towel in your running pack that you can get wet and put around your neck to cool yourself while you run. Maybe even dunk your shirt in some water to help cool yourself down. If you can find some ice, even better. Best place to place something cool, behind your neck or in your armpits.
• Know when to ask for help! This is the most important piece of advice I can give you. It is important to know what to watch for in case of heat illness. If you notice these signs, it is important to start seeking medical attention immediately. Stop by a medical tent to ask for some help.
  • Not sweating? It is hot and you are running, you should be sweating. If you feel like you are sweating less, you could be overheating.
  • You feel like you have a fever? You are feeling hot. Not just because it is hot out side but more like you are starting to get a fever.
  • Cramping? A LOT! This isn’t the occasional calf cramp but feels like it your whole leg or your whole body.
  • Feeling weird? Feeling funny? Confused? This is the time that you stop and seek medical attention.

These are a few easy ways to help avoid struggling unnecessarily with a hot race day and help you enjoy many races to come.