A double run day, meant I was up early to do my tempo run.  There were two reasons I was up early; one was to ensure I finished my run before work, and the other was to avoid the heat.

The past few weeks have been really hot here in Pittsburgh. While running in the heat does have some physiological benefits, it is also very demanding on the body.  I am in the middle of a very big block of training, so I don’t need to stress my body any more than is necessary.  Hence my desire to avoid hot runs.

The tempo run this morning was hot, but not unbearably so.  I was also working hard, so my body was generating heat too.  My afternoon run however, was an easy run and the problem was, by the time the afternoon rolled around, the temperatures outside were very high.

I knew the easy run could get very demanding in the heat and I needed to try and avoid that.  One option would have been to run inside on my treadmill.  While that would most definitely have been cooler, I also really don’t like treadmill work, so I passed on that option.  The other option I had was to carefully choose where I ran outside.

I chose to go to the local park and run the loop around the lake.  I chose this location, because I knew I would be able to find a lot of shade to run in. I also knew that the section of the loop over the dam, is typically quite breezy, which can be cooling too.  Running in the shade, versus direct sunlight, can equate to a ‘real feel’ temperature difference of 10-15’F.  When it’s hot outside, anywhere that “feels” 10-15″F lower, is a real plus.

The run at the park was still hot, but changing which side of the road I ran on (see photo), I was able to find a lot of shade. This, once again, made the run just about bearable.  

Oh… the other tip for heat management… carry a bottle of cold water and pour water over your head occasionally.  The cold feeling doesn’t last long, but those precious few seconds of cooling, really, really help!