OMG! It's HOT! Where do you draw the line???

[sweetpee_1993]

Well, the past 2 mornings have been miserably hot & sticky here in Southeast Texas. Yesterday when I set out to do my run it was about 85 degrees and sticky as heck w/humidity. Today it was about the same. Yesterday I suspected I needed more hydration before going out but didn't want to feel nature call before I got home so I skipped it. After the run I felt especially beat & hot. I think I may have pushed a little too far. This morning I woke up a little late (hubby took the boys to school). Last minute I jumped up, wolfed down my oatmeal, drank a little water, then headed out trying to beat the heat. Can we say "Epic FAIL"?!?! I pushed thru the entire 30+ minutes w/a distance of about 3 miles. Afterward I was in rough, rough shape. I drank 2 bottles of water. I was soooo weak. I was sweating profusely from every pore on my body. About 30 minutes after I got home I was still miserable & sweating so the hubby had me take a cool shower. When I got out I was **still** sweating. Ick! I relaxed a little while until that subsided, ate some fresh pineapple, drank another bottle of water, then promptly fell asleep on the couch. I only slept 1/2 an hour or so. When I got up I had a turkey sandwich & some pita chips. I'm hoping the carbs will help me. Just typing this is absolutely exhausting. LOL! So, yep, I think I seriously overdid it. :hammer:

Summer isn't here yet. It's only gonna get hotter. I guess I'll have to start getting up earlier and trying to get thru whatever I'm going to do earlier in the morning.

My question for y'all is: Is there a temperature and/or humidity level at which you draw the line and know you shouldn't go out running? For me, it seems like 80-ish degrees is it. Anymore with the humidity we have here and I'm a goner. What a wuss, huh? :brick:

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I live just outside Atlanta. I basically refuse to run during the day in a Georgia summer (which pretty much means May through at least some of September). It's just not worth it to me.

Right now, I'm taking a little time off running in hopes my knee injury will get better, but when I start again, it will have to be around sunset for the next few months. I absolutely despise the heat, and it seems to me (this is just a rough guess) that whatever temperature it is when I go outside, I "feel" about 10-15 degrees warmer by the end of a run.

Since you asked for a limit...anything in the upper 70s starts making me wary. If it hits 80, I'm just not running.

 

[bdevil4]

Not a wuss at all, Sweetpee, or if you are, so am I!! :wave: I am struggling with this one, too. Unfortunately, I don't seem to do very well at getting up early to run before work, and don't feel comfortable going after dark, so I am stuck running in the hot, muggy evening hours. Ugh.

At this point I'm telling myself to go if it is below 90, and just make the best of it. I am trying to work my schedule so I can do my longer runs on my days off, and go early in the morning (because I just LOVE getting up early on my days off...). But even short runs have been really rough in this heat.

 

[AUPr8Hd]

I have heard that you should slow your pace down once the temperature gets above a certain level. I don't remember the specifics though :shrug:

 

[SpongeScott]

I live in central Florida on the Gulf coast. In the heat of our summer, our morning low is 80 degrees. So, I've got to go out first thing in the morning. The keys for me are staying out of the direct, pounding heat of the sun, slow down a little, and HYDRATE. You've got to drink before, during, and after your run. Your ______ should be straw-colored. Anything darker means you're not hydrating properly. You should drink every 20 minutes on a run in the heat. And, whatever you train with while running is what you should use when running a race. So, if you train with water, drink water during the race. That's not the time to experiment with Gatorade or other sports drinks.

BJ, upper 70's? I could only wish! :lol:

 

[Cubs Brian]

I won't jog if the temp is above zero( or below zero ):ROFLOL:

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I live in central Florida on the Gulf coast. In the heat of our summer, our morning low is 80 degrees.

<snip>

BJ, upper 70's? I could only wish! :lol:

Oy. Guess I can be a little more picky where I am. Even HERE is too hot for me. :dazzle: :lol:

 

[disneysroyal411]

Me and running have a love-hate relationship, in a way. I'm always to tired to run, but not really, and then when I can't run, I want to. I love running, but sure love to hate it to.

 

[tigsmom]

Was about 40 here when I got up at 5:30, great for walking/running. We topped off a little while ago at 80 with a slight breeze, I could keep it like this forever.

Hydration is VERY important and the darker the color of you urine the more fluids you need (water is best, but throw in a sports drink every now & then if it's really bad & you exercise heavily). Aim for a light straw color (very pale), but don't drink large amounts in a short period of time or you can end up in bigger trouble from diluted electrolytes.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

My question for y'all is: Is there a temperature and/or humidity level at which you draw the line and know you shouldn't go out running? For me, it seems like 80-ish degrees is it. Anymore with the humidity we have here and I'm a goner. What a wuss, huh? :brick:

Yikes!! Ok Sweetpee, here's the deal. When I lived in Alabama, I had the same problem. After about 8am it was pure insanity to go for a run outside. So my advice to you to get you through these insanely hot months is this...either get up to run before the sun rises(and yes, it is going to keep rising earlier and earlier), or invest in a treadmill or gym membership. Remember that part of your training should include cross training, which you can do *ahhhhhhh* in the nice, cool pool. When we lived there, I ran year around, but I got through the summer with a lot of lap-swimming. Good luck!

Do you have a good training program?

 

[Kerby626]

Well, the past 2 mornings have been miserably hot & sticky here in Southeast Texas. Yesterday when I set out to do my run it was about 85 degrees and sticky as heck w/humidity. Today it was about the same. Yesterday I suspected I needed more hydration before going out but didn't want to feel nature call before I got home so I skipped it. After the run I felt especially beat & hot. I think I may have pushed a little too far. This morning I woke up a little late (hubby took the boys to school). Last minute I jumped up, wolfed down my oatmeal, drank a little water, then headed out trying to beat the heat. Can we say "Epic FAIL"?!?! I pushed thru the entire 30+ minutes w/a distance of about 3 miles. Afterward I was in rough, rough shape. I drank 2 bottles of water. I was soooo weak. I was sweating profusely from every pore on my body. About 30 minutes after I got home I was still miserable & sweating so the hubby had me take a cool shower. When I got out I was **still** sweating. Ick! I relaxed a little while until that subsided, ate some fresh pineapple, drank another bottle of water, then promptly fell asleep on the couch. I only slept 1/2 an hour or so. When I got up I had a turkey sandwich & some pita chips. I'm hoping the carbs will help me. Just typing this is absolutely exhausting. LOL! So, yep, I think I seriously overdid it. :hammer:

Summer isn't here yet. It's only gonna get hotter. I guess I'll have to start getting up earlier and trying to get thru whatever I'm going to do earlier in the morning.

My question for y'all is: Is there a temperature and/or humidity level at which you draw the line and know you shouldn't go out running? For me, it seems like 80-ish degrees is it. Anymore with the humidity we have here and I'm a goner. What a wuss, huh? :brick:

Girl you know that you and hummidty don't mix. Much less throwing running into the mix. I have been getting out there and walking/running with the kids in the morning. But CA moutains and I are not mixing with a jogging stroller with 40 additional pds to it.

 

[mraphael]

I run/walk using the Jeff Galloway method and this is what he suggests for running in certain temperatures

When the temperature rises above 60° F: runners should slow down by 30 seconds
a mile for every 5 degrees above 60° F on long runs and the race itself. Walkers, slow down enough to avoid huffing and puffing.

You don't want to kill yourself training, especially when you are going to be logging many more miles before the race. Take it easy, build up your endurance and enjoy yourself.

And yes, running before the sun rises and hydrating while you run is VERY important. And all ways check your urine before you go out!

 

[Phonedave]

Was about 40 here when I got up at 5:30, great for walking/running. We topped off a little while ago at 80 with a slight breeze, I could keep it like this forever.

Hydration is VERY important and the darker the color of you urine the more fluids you need (water is best, but throw in a sports drink every now & then if it's really bad & you exercise heavily). Aim for a light straw color (very pale), but don't drink large amounts in a short period of time or you can end up in bigger trouble from diluted electrolytes.

Thanks for mentioning that. I try to explain that to people, but I still see people drinking gallons of water.

I drink water when I run in the heat. Part of my regular run is through parks where there are water fountains. I also run on some main streets that have 7-11 type stores. I bring along a few dollars to by a water (I do not like to carry anything). I tell myself it is just a stop to buy water, but I think I secretly enjoy the 5 minute rest in air conditioning

Afterwards I drink this stuff called Hydralyte (also known as Gookinaid). It's a sports drink that works much better at re-hydation than anything else I have tried. It is a lower sodium content than Gatoraide, but has a higher potassium concentration. Supposedly it is isotonic. I do know it is very easy to drink, no bloating or full feeling from it. The only problem is that it is designed as a rehydration product, not a beverage. Cold it tastes nasty, room temp it tastes even worse

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

When I got out I was **still** sweating. Ick!

I HATE that. Did it last night. Got home from work, ran 5 miles in 75 degree weather at a slower pace than I planned.

I got home and realizd I had 15 minutes to shower, change, and leave for my kids concert at school. No time to cool down. In the shower, back out, dry off, and then continue sweating - bleah.

Thats not the first time I have finished up a run with just enough time to jump in the shower, get out, and then keep sweating.

-dave

 

[dreamfinder]

Keep in mind your body will feel like its about 15 degrees warmer while you are running. So running in 80, makes it feel like 95, etc.

Personally, I think I max out at about 90, but that is with frequent hydration, and running in the shade. Pace definitely slows down then, but I have done it. During long runs in the summer, I'm usually out the door about 6:30 or so after giving the dog a quick walk. Then it's usually cool enough for 2 or 3 hours of good running. Weekdays it's at the gym, so its usually comfortable there thankfully.

 

[StingraySam]

Where do I draw the line? Well I would like to draw it at about 68 degrees but living in S. Florida that would really limit my days so currently if it is in the evening and the sun will be setting soon upper 80's is my limit, anything above 90 that run can just wait till later (easier said than done however). What really affects me more than the temperature is the humidity and full sun. An overcast 85 degree day with low humidity can be much more tolerable than a full sunny 79 degree day with 99% humidity. As everyone else has mentioned already though no matter what the temperature proper hydration is very important. What I consider the most important though, and I don't think this can be stressed enough, is knowing your own limits. Being able to push yourself to your boundary without injury is something only you can set for yourself.

And don't let those, in my opinion, goofballs out at 1 o'clock in the afternoon in July when it 99 degrees and the humidity is at 98% outside intimidate you. I really don't know who they are trying to impress but it's not me.

 

[StingraySam]

I HATE that. Did it last night. Got home from work, ran 5 miles in 75 degree weather at a slower pace than I planned.

I got home and realizd I had 15 minutes to shower, change, and leave for my kids concert at school. No time to cool down. In the shower, back out, dry off, and then continue sweating - bleah.

Thats not the first time I have finished up a run with just enough time to jump in the shower, get out, and then keep sweating.

-dave

That's why I won't run in the morning anymore. I got tired of having to bring a change clothes and get changed once I got to work.

 

[harveyt0206]

I have a great 4 mile loop that I walk/jog. It has a ton of shade areas, but only one water fountain and I HATE!! :fork: to carry anything, so if it is too hot I can't handle the entire loop without water. So, my cut off is more about humidity than temperature. Anything above 80 degrees and 70% humidity means I will be too hot and either have to go super early or substitute an indoor workout for my jog.