When in the street +30, you need to be careful.
The world witnessed a heat wave. In Ukraine the temperature exceeds 30 degrees. People are advised, if possible, to spend more time indoors, drink more water and to wear hats on the street. But what the heat means for runners? Whether to abolish Jogging in this weather?
Recently soaring above 30 degrees temperature forced people to abandon Jogging, making them a dangerous activity. However, many runners take part in competitions and in hotter climates, for example, in Kenya, Ethiopia or Japan.
Despite the fact that running in the heat can be quite risky for some people, e.g. children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with heart disease, temperature 30-35 degrees is normal for Jogging.
There are a number of cross country events held in extreme conditions (over 35 ℃). For example, Badwater, 215-kilometer marathon, which takes place in Death Valley, (CA) where the temperature may exceed 50 ℃. There is also an annual marathon de Sables, a five-day run across the Sahara desert in Morocco, where the temperature can reach 50 ℃. This 251-kilometer race is considered the toughest on Earth.
Experience from Kingston University with people who run and train in a special thermal camera for events such as Marathon des Sables and Badwater, demonstrates that with adequate training, hydration and proper calculation of forces, it is possible to make the races safe and high temperatures. But it is important to note that these races require long training, and acclimatization and running in such conditions is not recommended without special training.
Training is required
Running if the temperature is above 30 ℃ heat is associated with certain risks and can easily cause dehydration or overheating, which can lead to muscle spasms, excessive sweating, headaches, nausea, fatigue and dizziness. Your performance can suffer, and you will find that it is not able to run at the same pace or the same distance, that at lower temperatures. In addition, running in the heat can have serious consequences for health, e.g. heatstroke. Negative consequences can be avoided if you listen to your body and take reasonable precautions, namely:
Drink plenty of fluids, maintaining water balance
Avoid Jogging during the hottest part of the day (from 11:00 to 15:00)
Use lightweight, breathable clothing
Slow down your usual pace
Take into account the acclimatization, which can take up to 14 days
The body learns to adapt
Running in the heat improves body temperature. The body works best when its temperature is at 37 ℃, therefore, in order to support such a cool state, the body begins to sweat, thereby lowering the temperature. However, the sweating causes water loss, which can lead to dehydration.
To help the process of sweating, blood vessels dilate, allowing blood to rush to the skin, which also contributes to reducing the temperature. That’s why in the heat people turn red, and their blood vessels more visible. The problem is that in such conditions, less blood goes to working muscles, which in turn creates an additional burden on the body, especially the heart. As a result, sweating can lead to dehydration, so exercise in the heat can make you feel fatigue and inability to exercise, which you can easily perform at lower temperatures.
The hotter outside, the more sweat to maintain normal body temperature. Usually people lose up to one litre of sweat per hour during exercise in hot conditions, while some may lose more than four liters.
The advantage of people over animals is a coordinated system of regulation of body temperature. This allows us to run long distances even in the heat. With regular exposure to high temperatures, the body learns to adapt, and the stress and tension while running is reduced. During adaptation happens:
The increased rate of sweating
The increase in blood volume
Reducing the loss of electrolytes (important salts and minerals) through perspiration
Reduction of recovery period (rest)
Decrease heart rate
The decrease in the level of effort required
Thus, proper preparation and common sense can do running at high temperatures is completely safe.
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