Working out in the heat.

It's been hot in Michigan. We had a week of temps in the 90's with heat indexes into the 100's. When I walked out of my office on those days, it was like inhaling steam. Only one thought came to mind:

how in the world am I going to run in this heat?

As you know, I work out with a trainer in a very small group. There is no mercy, and we will run in all conditions. I have run in 30 degree snow flurries, I have run in rain, and now I can say I have run in the heat.

Not the smartest idea, but with proper precaution, it is do-able. I made sure to have at least two bottles of water on those days, and I made sure to have already downed about 8 ounces of water before starting the workout. I wore clothing that would wick away the sweat, and keep my body as cool as possible. Tank tops and running shorts a must. I also ran in the shade as much as possible. On the routes we take, there are plenty of trees. We also did our runs in short intervals.

For example:

• 800 meter run
• kettle bell work
• trx work
• 1600 meter run
• kettle bell work
• trx work
• 800 meter run

and so on...

On really hot days such as these, it is even more important to drink your water. Drink it before you begin, and drink several ounces every 15 minutes or so. Your body needs to keep cool and hydrated. Don't risk going without.

UPDATES:

Weight: 162 pounds.

New running goal: 1/2 Marathon in Detroit, Oct 16th 2011