Heat and humidity change everything.  And you need to make adjustments to keep running safely.  The most significant adjustment is hydration. We sweat more as the temperature rises and need to stay hydrated with water and electrolytes.  Too much water is as bad as too little on hot and humid days so keep alert to how you feel especially during long runs.  For other tips on running in heat and humidity, we found these to be very helpful.

You’ve heard the cliche, “It’s not the heat it’s the humidity”.  It turns out that it’s true.  The higher the humidity, the more moisture is in the air and the hotter it feels. Here’s the article:  Tips for running in humidity.

VO2 max decreases along with your body’s ability to cool down.  These are a couple of effects of heat and humdity …and they are exagerrated in warmer temperatures.  Here’s the full list of the reasons why heat affects performance:  5 reasons running affects performance.

There are ways you can maximize your performance running in the heat though.  We found the tips in this article very helpful:  How to run in the heat. 

OK, so it’s hot.  And you still want to go for a run.  Treadmill inside an air conditioned gym is an option but outdoors is preferable.  Here are some suggestions:  How to make hot running tolerable.

How warm is it in Negril in December?  This is the number one question we get asked every year from runners coming from colder climates. Mornings are usually in the low 20’s Celsius so yes it’s warmer than home for many but there are a couple of things we do to minimize the impact and ensure that all our runners are well taken care of:

• Reggae Marathon starts at 5:15 am in the morning.  That’s almost an hour before sunrise.  Our early start time means you start in the coolest part of the day and can be finished well before the mid-day sun.
• We have Aid Stations set up at every mile along the closed road course.  Water and Electrolytes are available at every Aid Station.  And we use a convenient plastic pouch instead of messy cups for our water and electrolytes.  Easy to cary and drink from…just tear open and squeeze.  There’s an added benefit:  You can use squeeze cool water over your head during your race.

So keep your head covered, wear sunscreen and hydrate properly…and get running this summer.

Until next time…

Reggae Marathon RunninGuy (aka Sugar ‘Tuff Gong’ Bong)

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