Training in the heat? Yes, we can. We are getting closer and closer to, if new general elections do not prevent it, participate as Runnea Women Team in the next edition of the Behobia San Sebastian on November 10. There is among this group of women an illusion, a strength and a desire to stand at the starting line that nothing and no one will prevent us to face the challenge no matter what happens or if the race has to be held when it is held. With the political situation we have in Spain, without a government and without knowing if there will be one on the date scheduled for the celebration of the race, the Fortuna Club, organizer of the race, has not yet made a final decision on whether or not to move the date. There are many people waiting for this decision, especially those who come from autonomous communities other than the Basque Country or those who will arrive from abroad.
We are still preparing the race as if it were to be held on November 10. Anyway, in case of moving it to another day, it would not be a date very far from the planned one, so we continue with our training plan.
I just came back from my vacations in Malaga and although the relaxing time is over, I was relieved to find at home 18/20 degrees in the morning. Why? Because training at 25 degrees even at seven in the morning is really complicated.
Those of us who are not used to these high temperatures suffer extraordinarily when we not only change city, environment or routes but also when we have to face heat to which we are not used to.
In the north we usually complain about the changeable summer we have, with cool temperatures and more or less frequent rains. However, for training and maintaining a good pace in workouts, cool temperatures are a blessing in disguise.
Of course, the heat cannot be an excuse to suspend training. You have to adapt to the new situation and, if possible, change your running schedule.
The night is usually much cooler even than the first hour of the day and that is why it is quite common to see how from 20.00 runners begin to leave from all corners and frequent walks and routes are filled with runners eager to kilometers.
There are a series of recommendations made by professionals that we should follow to the letter if we do not want to have problems during or after training. Most of them are common sense, but it is worth remembering them so that we keep them in mind.
Avoid the middle of the day
The first hour of the day or the last hour of the evening should be our training schedule. Running in the middle of the day, in full sun, can lead to heat stroke and even dehydration if we do not drink enough water.
Use lightweight running gear
It is best to use fabrics and colors that do not attract the sun's rays. White should be our summer color for running. It is not advisable to dress too warmly; a tank top and shorts are enough. A good ally is the cap that will not only prevent the sun from hitting us directly on the head but will also keep excessive light out of our eyes.
Special attention should also be paid to the shoes. The foot tends to swell as the training progresses and even more so in the heat. Make sure they are not too tight and do not tighten the laces too much because you will impede the normal blood flow.
Choose a course where there are fountains
If you don't want to carry a bottle while running , do your training in places where you know you will find fountains. In summer we sweat a lot more and lose not only water but also mineral salts. It is essential to hydrate while running. I assure you that dehydration is horrible, it comes without you realizing it and makes you have a really bad time as well as being very dangerous. I say this from experience...
Always use sunscreen
Don't think that just because you are on the move, the sun won't get you. Sunscreen is very important to avoid sunburn and to prevent premature aging of our skin. Runners tend to have more wrinkles than other people. It is precisely the weather conditions, wind, water, sun, etc., that alter the skin, which is such an extensive organ of our body. Do not forget to protect it.
Lower your workload
Unless you have a goal to achieve in the summer or immediately after, this time of year is a great time to lower your training load. I read a recommendation by Martin Fiz who said that this is a time when you can combine running and fast walking on continuous running days. It's a very good way of not getting so much fatigue in training and make them more bearable.
He also recommended that on days when we dedicate ourselves to doing series we should increase the recovery time between one and the other by at least 60 seconds. In summer our heart rate goes up more than when we run in lower temperatures, so let's take this proposal into account.
By following these recommendations you can also enjoy our sport even when the heat presses. The Behobia San Sebastian is getting closer and we keep training!
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