Temperature wise, Baltimore has been a killer this summer! We have had record heat. One day even hit 106 degrees! Ugh! And, I am from upstate New York where a perfectly respectable summer day is 75 degrees!
I have been doing most of my runs in the wee hours of the morning, around 5:30 or 6:00 AM. Even then, it tends to be around 80-85 degrees. I have acclimated pretty well to training in hot conditions, something previously thought impossible for this red-head. This may sound funny, but I have become a much more efficient sweater. I used to not sweat much so when I would workout in warm weather, I would feel overheated and faint. I usually would quit early with a lot of complaining! Because I have no choice this summer and am determined to complete all of the runs, my body has adjusted. This may sound weird to you, but the first time I saw sweat dripping off my arms and legs, I felt my body and I had made it through a huge obstacle! I literally sweat all of the time now. Not that you wanted to know that! :) But, it's true and I feel a lot better for it!
Here are some things I have started to do differently this summer so that I can run in hotter temperatures:
1.) I drink water ALL OF THE TIME. I have always been a conscientious drinker-of-water, but this summer it has gone through the roof. I don't count ounces but I am guessing it is at least 100 per day. I also drink continuously while I run and am now using a four bottle belt.
3.) My alarm begins to beep as early as 4:50 AM. Yes, you read that right. 4:50 AM. Luckily, it is only that early one day of the week. The morning is the coolest time of the day and the best for running.
4.) I wear a running hat. While you would think hats would make you hotter, the one I own does not. It's light weight and does not trap any heat. This helps a lot to block out the sun!
