{"id":339954,"date":"2025-08-13T01:53:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T01:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/339954\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T01:53:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T01:53:25","slug":"how-to-run-in-the-heat-from-hydration-to-staying-cool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/339954\/","title":{"rendered":"How to run in the heat: from hydration to staying cool"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"STYLE\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s August, which means the capital is officially in the thick of heatwave territory. <\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not stopping people from getting their exercise<\/a>. Running<\/a> has emerged in recent years as one of London<\/a>\u2019s biggest sports: in 2024, one in five people over 16 said they went running at least monthly, while more than 1.1m applicants have already put their names down for the 2026 London Marathon.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re a city of runners. However, with temperatures set to top 30 degrees this week, there\u2019s a real danger of those same runners overheating during as they try and get their kilometres in. <\/p>\n

Fortunately, with a bit of prep, it can be avoided. We chatted to ultra-runner and co-founder of Black Trail Runners, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, and Tom Bishop, a seasoned runner who broke the record for the ironman triathlon last year (previously held by Alistair Brownlee), on how to beat the heat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

(Jonathan Brady\/PA)<\/p>\n

PA Wire<\/p>\n

For Bishop, keeping cool before a run or race is key. \u201cStarting with your core temperature as low as you can will give your body more chance to run in hot conditions, rather than starting hot and flustered,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

\u201cTry to relax, find shade and keep your warmup minimal. Of course warming up is still important, but in the heat, you don’t need to push it as much.\u201d To lower the body temperature even further, consider sipping on an icy drink, or slushie, before you go for a run or do a race. <\/p>\n

The most efficient way to hydrate, especially before a run, is by sipping fluids regularly during the day, rather than in one go. According to Pace-Humphreys, it\u2019s \u201cfar more effective than panicking and overloading because you forgot. Little and often keeps your body balanced – downing huge amounts in one go won\u2019t provide the same benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it comes to running, it\u2019s not about looking cool: it\u2019s more about keeping the body temperature down. Opt for shorts, vests, crop tops, and ideally items that have a good breathability. <\/p>\n

If you want, you can tuck some fabric into the back of your sunhat to form a protective barrier for your beck and shoulders. Don\u2019t forget suncream, to<\/a>o: skincare brand Dussl <\/a>has a good selection of factor 50 suncreams that also double up as moisturisers, block pollution and will stay on amid the sweat of a hot run.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A person runs across the Millennium Bridge in London<\/p>\n

Jonathan Brady\/PA Wire<\/p>\n

One of the biggest dangers during a hot run is \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 overheating, which comes with symptoms like dizziness, sickness and a rapid heart rate. In hot weather<\/a>, it\u2019s important not to push yourself: instead, listen to your body.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour body will tell you what it needs but only if you have the patience to listen,\u201d Pace-Humphreys says. \u201cWhether it\u2019s watching your heart rate zones creep into the red, or just sensing that things feel harder than they should, tune in. Slow down to a jog or alternate walking and running – there\u2019s no shame in preserving energy to avoid burnout.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to know what to do when you are overheating. \u201cIf you feel your body temperature rising, pull it back and breathe through it,\u201d she says. \u201cGive box breathing a go – inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 and exhaling for 4. This can help calm your mind, reduce anxiety and lower your heart rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the heat, appetite can dip \u2013 which makes staying hydrated and properly fuelled tricky, too. <\/p>\n

\u201cLiquid carbs can be a real help. Whether they\u2019re shop-bought or even just half juice, half water, having a liquid option can help keep your energy up when solid food isn\u2019t appealing,\u201d Pace-Humphreys says. <\/p>\n

Plus, do invest in some electrolytes, which will replace the essential minerals and salts that your body is sweating out. Don\u2019t overdo it, though: \u201coverdoing electrolytes can cause frequent toilet stops, nausea and diarrhoea – I\u2019ve been there! If that happens, ease off, dilute with water, and give your body time to recalibrate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make time to cool down afterwards<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve finished the run, that\u2019s not it. Give the body time to cool down. Sit, or stretch it out, in the shade, and let the breath return to normal. And use the cooldown as a chance to get some water in you \u2013 hydrating little and often, of course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s August, which means the capital is officially in the thick of heatwave territory. But that\u2019s not stopping…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":339955,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,393,1154,4884,257,4712,16,15,741],"class_list":{"0":"post-339954","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-exercise","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-london","13":"tag-running","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-weather"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115018963902128287","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=339954"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339954\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/339955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=339954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=339954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=339954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}