Summer Running (had me a blast)

Summer Running

by

Mark Jimenez

Summer came early to Las Vegas this week. We broke some heat records and every time I turn on the news or open a website the only thing I see is how hot it is outside.

Here's the thing, I know this. I live here. I've lived here pretty much my whole life. Newsflash, it gets hot here in the summer.

Global warming is happening, our planet is getting hotter, and we just experienced the hottest year the planet has ever had since humans have been recording temperature. I'm not trying to dismiss any of that. It's tragic, and I encourage you all to try to do your part to help reduce your carbon footprint and help keep our planet sustainable.

That being said, you don't have to stay inside and hide in the fear that you will spontaneously combust if you go outside. The trick to staying healthy is staying active, and the trick to staying active is getting outside. You can absolutely do that in Las Vegas, even in the summer time. Here are some tricks and tips to getting active in the summer.

1. Get out in the morning. The coolest time of day is immediately after the sun comes up. Plan your outdoor activities for that time!
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink water and consider electrolyte supplements!
3. Let your body adapt. The human body adapts remarkably well to heat. In fact, several studies show that we adapt to heat much faster than we adapt to cold. Still, you need to adapt. Don't try to do it all at once, take baby steps!
4. Allow yourself to be slower when it is hot outside. If you are out going for a run don't push your pace to try to hit speeds you're used to when it is cooler outside. Your body is already working extra hard to cool you down, so don't strain it further by trying to fun as fast as you would when it is cooler outside.
5. Wear sunscreen! Consider a great brand like Kinesys, available at Red Rock Running Company!
6. Bring a phone. When in doubt, phone a friend for pickup!
7. Exercise with friends! There is safety in numbers!

There are a lot of scary things happening in the world right now, but we can't just sit back and let them happen! Get out there and stay active! You can find us every Saturday morning at 6:30am at Dunkin' on W. Charleston for a group run. We'd love to have you. Visit rrrc.run/events for all of our group run events!

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Every Run is a Good Run