It's getting hot out there

With the official start to summer yesterday, there is no surprise that it's getting super hot outside. Chicago is having its warmest hot spell in 35 years. I don't really know what that means, but if Weatherman Tom Skilling says it, I believe it!

The weather bell downtown at Clark/Monroe. Red = HOT!

Runner's World has a whole slew of articles about running in the heat, including tips from runners and cautionary tales. Most are common sense, including lots of hydration and taking it easy on the pace, but there is a lot of useful information from other runners and experts. Even the articles on hydration are interesting, I always figured it was best to just drink 64 oz of water per day and be done with it, but (TMI!) you can really judge how much water you need by the color of your pee. You're looking for something like a light straw color not dark (underhydrated) or clear (overhydrated). I am very good about drinking water at work, but I'm trying to be better about it when I'm home at night and the weekends.  

Also, according to a lot of the articles it will take about two weeks for me to get used to running in the heat. It also stands to reason that since it's harder to run in the heat, it will be that much easier for me when the fall (and the race) comes around. Provided that it's not too hot on race day (as it has been in the past), I should be much better prepared. That's encouraging. 

While I normally prefer running after work during the week, I might have to start heading out for one of my weekday runs in the morning. I always thought that the noon hour was the hottest, but according to this article, "Although the sun is highest in the sky at noon, the earth's surface heat peaks between 3-5 pm." I can attest, as I was drenched when I got inside from my runs on Monday and Wednesday, even though I got in at 8/9pm. And it's not just the heat, it's the humidity! High humidity alters your internal cooling system (sweat), making it harder to function properly. So it's actually a huge problem if you don't sweat when it's hot out. 

5 am is starting to sound a whole lot better, but let's see if I can get 5am Jocelyn to agree with 5pm Jocelyn. That's always the hard part! Anyone else have any tips for staying cool?