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It's Hot and Humid - Can You Beat the Heat?? We are entering the dog days of August, and although fall may be just around the corner, the heat and humidity are at their worst. Marathon season is approaching and many of the August races are becoming longer to help runners prepare for the big race. Although your long run or race starts at 7:30 am, it is already 90° and 100% humidity. Is it even safe to run you wonder? If you do run, is it safe to run hard, do speed work, or race? Read on because the best defense against heat illness is knowledge. Understanding the risk factors will help you avoid getting sick and if necessary help you treat heat illness if it occurs. Heatstroke and heat-illness are medical emergencies, which if left unchecked can potentially cause death. This results when the body core temperature rises to a dangerously high level. How does this happen you ask? Well, we all know (and those who wash our running clothes know) we sweat when we exercise. As sweat evaporates from your skin, you are cooled, and this keeps your core body temperature in check. However, when it is very humid out, the moisture in the air doesn't allow your sweat to evaporate. Without this cooling effect from sweat evaporation, the sweat accumulates and your core temperature rises. This can lead to a whole host of heat-related ailments, cumulating in heatstroke. Runners need to realize that being young or in great shape does not protect you from heat-related illnesses. The intensity of the exercise is really the key factor, which explains why this occurs more often in racing situations. The athlete who will push it to the max and go for the win despite the weather conditions or how they feel is at much higher risk. Dehydration does contribute to heat-illness, but by itself rarely leads to a life-threatening medical condition. Studies have shown that it is really the rise in core temperature more than dehydration that leads to heat illness. Thus, it occurs when you are running far enough, hard enough, and under extreme weather conditions. Being overweight puts you at a higher risk for more serious complications should the symptoms of heat illness occur. Men have also been found to suffer from heatstroke more frequently than women, possibly because they have more heat producing muscle. Finally, if you are properly acclimated to heat (i.e. you have built up a heat tolerance by training in the heat) you are at much lower risk. So, training for a marathon in a cool environment, and then traveling to run in hot and humid conditions can really place severe stress on your body. So how do you recognize the early stages of heat-related illnesses? The spectrum of symptoms of heat-related illnesses ranges from uncomfortable to fatal. The initial warning signs consist of nausea and disorientation. Muscle cramps can occur - more often related to prolonged exertion with loss of large volumes of sweat. Runners may become confused and complain of weakness and dizziness. At times, but not always, there will be a cessation of sweating, despite the extreme weather conditions. Your heart may race more than the normal for your level of exertion. The final stages usually include physical collapse of the runner. Typically the diagnosis of heatstroke is made when the runner exhibits significant confusion and a rectal temperature greater than 105° F. If you feel the symptoms of heat-illness coming on, the first thing to do is to stop exercising. Then find some shade, preferably an air-conditioned place. Follow proper hydration guidelines (detailed in last month's column) and remove any insulating clothing. If symptoms become more severe, begin immediate cooling of your body. Either immerse yourself in an ice water bath, wrap yourself in cool wet towels, use a water hose, or apply ice packs and get to an emergency room. Heat-related illnesses are no fun and can certainly ruin your running. So, here are a few strategies to help you avoid them. If you can, race in a less humid climate and save your longer races for the cooler months. If this isn't possible, at least make sure you are properly acclimated to warm weather conditions. If possible, calculate your fluid loses and maintain adequate hydration. When choosing the time you run and race, try to go as early as possible and avoid the peak heat of the day. If you must race, take into account the weather and give yourself a break! Under extreme weather conditions, it just doesn't pay to push yourself beyond your means. The days with 100% humidity are just not the times to overpace yourself and try to beat your arch rival. Remember - you can't beat the heat but it can beat you! |
