2.5. Climate Adaptations

First Author: Nikki Griffin

Second Author: Christina Ragland

Adapting to the Climate

2.5.1. Hot weather

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2.5.1

Beating the heat: Major Problems

1. Overheating: "the result of inadequate cooling."

• How it happens:
  • The body heats up internally.
  • The body starts to sweat and sends more blood to the skin.
  • Cooling occurs by the blood coming into contact with the relatively cooler skin.
  • While running your body sends more oxygen to the muscles and less blood is able to flow to the skin and cool the body.  Then overheating occurs.

2. Dehydration: "the process of losing fluid from the body, in this case through sweat. As you sweat you lose water and electrolytes."

• How it happens:
  • Your body sweats
  • With the sweat, you loose electrolytes and sodium

Beating the heat: Prevention

How to Prevent Overheating and Dehydration

• Drink 4 to 6 oz of water or sports liquid every 15 to 20 minutes of excerising in the heat
• Wear loose clothing
• Wear light colored clothes rather than dark colored
• Consider running in the morning
  • Cooler temperatures
  • Better air quality
• Check the "heat index chart" and be aware what you'll be running in.
• Be patient with yourself.  It can take "two weeks of consistent running" to get used to running in heat.

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A few more tips for running in the heat:

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2.5.2. Cold weather

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2.5.2.

Bring on the Cold: Issues

1. Skin and Hydration

• Be sure to use a moisturizer
• Wear sunblock
• Stay hydrated before and after running in the cold to ensure your muscles recover after running in the cold weather.

2. Keeping colds at bay (Studies have shown that long, intense activity such as running can make you susceptible to colds.)

• Drink a high carbohydrate energy drink on the run
• Eat fresh vegetables
• Get plenty of vitamin C 

4. On the run

• Stay away from icy paths.
• Run into the wind first so that it is at your back as you finish.

Conquering the Cold: What to Wear

1. "Dress like it is 20 degrees warmer" (see website for more specifics)

2. The essentials:

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• Warm hat
• A significant amount of body heat is lost through the head which affects the whole body's circulation so be sure to wear a hat to keep heat in your body.
• Scarf to cover your neck (and mouth)
• Gloves

3. Other possibilities

• Absorbant socks
• Layers that will wick sweat away
• Make sure you have space in your shoes for the thicker socks
• Insulated underwear

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