About Heat Running

Running in the heat is one of the toughest activities any athlete can engage in. And what constitutes ‘hot’ is a matter for you to decide – marathon runners consider 70F to be hugely oppressive, while Badwater 135 athletes can chug away for mile after mile in temperatures of 120F or more.

I decided to create this site for one reason: to promote safety and provide useful advice to hot weather athletes and runners.

Some of my personal escapades border on the lunatic – that’s ok, I’m not advocating that you dress up as Darth Vader and run around in the desert on the fourth-hottest day ever recorded on Earth.

What I DO suggest is that if you live somewhere hot, take serious precautions when you go out to run.

#1 – Have an escape plan. Heatstroke can overwhelm you in a matter of minutes – make sure that you have a way to get to safety.

#2 – Running in extreme temperatures means taking water with you, even if you expect to find it on your journey. Take more than you think you’ll need.

#3 – Tell someone where you’re going, how long you expect to take, and when to call for help if you don’t return.

#4 – Go slow. If you usually run 8-minute miles, run 10-minute miles. Speed is not your friend.

#5 – Take extra care if you are using prescription medication. Many of these can supercharge your ability to overheat.

#6 – If you feel dizzy, nauseous, wobbly or have difficulty with your vision, STOP IMMEDIATELY. Walk to the shade, and recover.

#7 – Use sun cream. Make sure you get your nose, neck and scalp.

#8 – Beware of mountain lions. (That just seems generally sensible advice.)

Have fun, be safe, check out The Darth Valley Challengeif you have nothing better to do, and come back and see us soon!

– Jon