I lived my entire life on the east coast until I moved to Colorado 3 ½ years ago. That means I spent a lifetime of summers sweating in the oppressive heat. I lived for a decade in Washington, DC, a city built on a swamp where most summer evening runs would be enfolded by the crush of temperatures and humidity levels in the 90s.
One of my favorite things about living in Evergreen is that I barely shed a drop of sweat during summertime runs. Even when it’s blistering down the hill, up here at 7,200 feet I enjoy the breeze moving through my house, and the nip in the air at night – even in July and August – that requires me to keep a sweater close at hand.
But those are just distant memories? Aren’t they? For much of the last two months, I have been revisiting unpleasant memories of my former life grappling with heat and humidity. Being an athlete makes it even more difficult. But with another week stretching ahead of temperatures well into the 90s, it occurs to me that most people living here in the mountain area don’t have the benefit of experience on how to maintain fitness and survive in the summer heat.
So here are my tips on beating the heat:
- Exercise early or late. Avoid the heat of the day if at all possible.
- Wear a hat with a brim to keep your head cool. Get it wet if you can!
- Wear light, breathable clothing.
- Stay hydrated! Carry a water bottle. Start drinking half an hour before you start exercising, because it takes that long for the “juice” to reach your muscles. I recommend a sports drink to replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat.
- Change it up to make life a little easier! Perhaps try riding a bike instead of running, because the breeze you create through speed cools you down. Or walk instead of run. If you do choose to run, reduce your mileage, or walk on the hills. Better yet, give yourself permission to take a day off!
- Wear sunscreen. Obvious.
- Carry a phone and ID, in case you run into trouble with the heat.
- Consider moving your exercise indoors. We have lovely, air-conditioned recreation centers with lots of indoor class options.
- Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.
Remember, you aren’t going to lose your fitness level if you cut back or take a day or two off because of the heat. You will lose a lot more if you push through it and hurt yourself by overheating. Listen to your body and enjoy the summer weather!
