Listen up, runners!: Fitness coach gives tips for exercising in the heat

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Running in 90-degree weather wasn’t always coach Kat Edwards’ strong suit.

It was a harsh lesson the Michigan native had to learn when she moved to Richmond.

“I tried to go for a run and I felt like I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t run, I was like ‘oh no, what am I going to do all summer?’ I was like, ‘I got to figure this out,’” Edwards said.

This humbling experience caused her to lace up her sneakers and help other runners overcome the same challenge.

“The heat can be a big inhibitor in the consistency in their training, but also enjoying the training,” she said.

Before a run, she recommends drinking two liters of cold fluids.

“You’re going to be sweating a lot, and when you’re losing sweat, you’re losing fluids, you’re losing electrolytes, and this can cause some imbalances in your body,” Edwards explained.

She said to take it slow during a run. Going too fast can raise someone’s body temperature, making them feel even hotter.

“So even if that means walking the up hills, stopping on the corner in the shade for a second. Let the breathing come down, let your heart rate come down. And that way, as you’re easing in, you’re getting a little more comfortable in the heat.”

Finally, once the run is completed, it’s essential to hydrate and eat.

“Drinking water with electrolytes is going to be important to replenish what you lost,” she said. “And then eating either a balanced meal or a snack with some protein and some carbohydrate to help you recover and get back out the door the next day.”

Coach Edwards will host a run clinic at Dogwood Dell on Saturday, July 20, at 8 a.m.

She’ll have more tips, and there will be a two-mile or three-mile run attendees can do after.

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