Tricks for Surviving Summer Running

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Hello Summer! You are in full effect here in Houston. The humidity, the heat, the longer days. I have to say that I am beyond thankful that I have an air conditioner. The past two weeks have been pretty brutal outside and I only really want to go outside if it means going straight to the pool. I will admit that my running schedule is almost non existent right now as I figure out how and when I can even run with kids at home. I do have a treadmill which is nice and really gives me no excuse not to be running, but hey what can I say….

I have some tricks for surviving summer running outside or even inside.

Hydrate:

This should be a no brainer, but I think what most people forget is that you can’t just hydrate while you are running. You need to be hydrating the day before you are going to run and all throughout the day after you run. There is a thing as over-hydrating while you are running that can hurt you as well. One tip that I have for rehydrating your body after a run is doing equal part 100% pineapple juice with coconut water, then a pinch of salt. This will help restore your electrolytes without all the added yucky chemicals that are in some of those drinks. Get a water bottle that is easy to hold so that you can carry it on your run.

Protect Your Feet:

During the summer you will sweat so much more which in turn could cause your shoes to rub on your feet and heels more. If this happens to you then try out the flexible fabric Band-aid. These can be used either before or after your run to cover those spots that tend to blister or after you get a blister. Another product that will help heal after you get a blister or even sometimes before to help protect your skin is Neosporin ointment. Did you know that you can use it before you run around your sock line or even under your armpits to avoid the dreaded rub irritation and chaffing? Yep this is one of my secret tools.

 Don’t Get Burned:

I often forget this one. I mean it is summer and I want to get some color on my skin, but the after burn is not fun. Neutrogena Ultra Mist Spray on Sunscreen allows me to apply a sheer layer of protection for my skin that I won’t sweat out and feel weighed down by on my runs. Have you ever had that sweat running down your face just to get burning eyes from the sunscreen? Yep, I don’t like it either. The Neutrogena Ultra Mist is great to combat that since it is such a light layer while still offering great SPF protection.

Attack the Allergies:

Yes even in summer you can have outdoor allergies that can prevent you from going out on those runs where you just want the wind in your hair. With Zyrtec 24 hour, I can go enjoy being outside and not worry that I will be sneezing me head off.

Thankfully I can get all of these Johnson and Johnson products and more at Walgreens where I already shop for essentials. My favorite part of this is that I can earn Balance Rewards for the items I buy as well as earning points for the activities that I do. I have my MyFitnessPal app linked to my Balance Reward app. I earn reward points for each time I exercise or even just by wearing my fitness tracker. Which reminds me I should probably charge it!! It is so great to motivate me to get moving when I haven’t met my step goal for the day.

So if you yourself are a runner or have one in your life here is a quick tutorial on what to put in a Summer Survival Running Basket:

• Get a good pair of socks with wicking material
• Buy sunscreen to protect them from getting burned
• Band-aids are a must because blisters are sure to come
• Find a good water bottle with a handle of some sort that they can hold on to the bottle while running.
• If they have allergies, then Zyrtec 24 hour is a necessity
• Toss in a small hand towel since they are going to sweat!!
• They will need fuel before or even after their run, so I recommend a Larabar or other protein bar
• Lastly write out a recipe for your favorite electrolyte drink
• Place all the items in a small portable bag that way they can toss all of their goodies in before they head out to their favorite track

So what are your tips or tricks to surviving summer running? Do you already use the Walgreens Balance Rewards app to track your fitness goals?