Summer is almost upon us, and warmer temperatures require different measures when exercising outdoors.

Although Canada is known by its grueling Winter, the country’s heat may be just as damaging if proper precautions are not taken before running.  

As I write this blog post, for instance, it’s 30 C (feels like 33 C) in Toronto, and the Meteorological Service of Canada has issued a heat warning. It means the weather conditions pose a high health risky and the city activated emergency cooling station. 

So what should I be aware of when running outdoors? Here are five simple, yet really effective tips: 

1 – Drink as much water as possible 

First and foremost, stay hydrated. You lose fluids in excess when it’s hot as your body tends to sweat more to regulate your temperature. Enhancing your water intake before, during and after your workout keep you from feeling extreme fatigue, or even dizziness and confusion. In extreme cases, dehydration may cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Drink water!

2- Stay away from certain fabrics

Cotton shirts absorb sweat and gets heavier as your workout goes on. Try lighter materials and lighter colors, as they tend to reflect instead of keeping the sun’s heat. 

3 – Timing is very important

Try avoiding mid-day workouts, especially from noon to 3 p.m. By running early in the morning or even in the evening, you will find a much cooler environment that will preserve your health and performance.

4 – Listen to your body 

This tip applies to almost every single aspect of running, but especially when extreme weather conditions are in place. It is important to understand how your body responds to different environments. More importantly, don’t be afraid to slow down your pace or stop completely if you are not feeling well. Your safety comes first, and Summer heat may be harmful if you neglect the signs. 

5- Be aware 

Heat alerts, poor air quality, humidity and all sorts of factors interfere in your workout. Sometimes you would be better off using a treadmill in a cooler space rather than insisting on going outdoors. So make sure to check the latest updates and consider whether it is worth it to train on the street.

Quick reminder: there is a pandemic still going on! Make sure you stay 6ft away from people when in public. Enjoy the Summer! 

You try to sketch every possible aspect of your day out when something this meaningful is about to take place. I am running a marathon, after all. 

What pair of shoes to wear? What should I eat? How many hours must I sleep? Nothing is supposed to catch you flat-footed on a day like that. 

And yet 99% of the times at least one thing does. I went out for the day I decided to run my marathon – Sunday, May 3 – but I did not know what to listen during the race. It sounds utterly silly, I know. 

But I didn’t want to get either overly pumped or too relaxed. Believe me: music has the ability to flip a switch in me rather quickly. So I made my mind on the fly and went with hip pop. It ended up being a very fitting choice and started like this:

Toronto Marathon organisers came up with a very interesting approach when the race’s cancelation was imminent. A large array of options was presented to participants. 

My option was to run a virtual race. It was pretty straightforward: you run the distance, upload the file with your tracked performance and a medal and a shirt are delivered to your place. 

I decided to run on the original date set for the race because this was the obvious choice given my training schedule. But make no mistake: COVID-19 requires extra awareness and making sure I stayed 6ft away from people was a must throughout the course.  

Three hours, forty minutes and fifty one seconds later and I had accomplished what I could not even have dreamed of a couple of years ago. I finished a marathon. All the effort put into it had paid off and it couldn’t feel better. 

I must say running 42,195 metres by yourself is quite challenging. A nagging left calf injury rendered me very reluctant to start off as strong. Without the dose of adrenaline stemming from a crowd, I only picked up my pace as I left Steeles Avenue down to Yonge Street. 

From Yonge I took a right at the waterfront and enjoyed 5 kilometres to the BMO Field and back. Just as I crossed Yonge Street again and finished my race, Notorious B.I.G.’s “Sky is The Limit” was next on the playlist. 

It could not get any better than that, could it?

First of all: it is totally okay if you do not feel okay right now.

This has gotten to be the rule of thumb in a crisis like the one our whole society is currently facing. 

COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of every single aspect of our lives. The world as we have known is no longer there. It would not be different running-wise. 

On a side note, before we get started on the running subject, let me state this: if you feel anxious and need to talk, do not hesitate to fill in the form in the “About” page and I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Running in times of COVID-19

The Toronto Marathon, scheduled for May 3, has been cancelled. Such gatherings would be too dangerous and the right decision was made. But that does not mean your whole training has been thrown away. 

Running is still one of the most efficient escapes from an overwhelming volume of information about this pandemic. 

Remember when I said in the debut of this blog that running has a lot to do with mental health? Keeping ourselves sane is absolutely important in this moment and going out for a jog could be extremely efficient. 

There are some general rules that need to be followed for the collective safety, though. Keep the physical distance. If you decide to go out to run, keep the 2 meters distance and try running by yourself. 

Running Magazine has published a very comprehensive guideline for those who want to keep exercising in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Exercising is also crucial for your immune system. You should avoid, obviously, extremely exhausting workouts, since they tend to render your body vulnerable for a while. 

Stretching, indoors core work,  jogs, you name it… It will maintain your conditioning and build your strength when it is much needed.  

The whole running community in Toronto is obviously disappointed as the marathon got cancelled. Do not miss, though, the updates on the Toronto Marathon website for the next steps. 

Personally, jogging has been superbly helpful for my mental health lately.

I have been relatively able to maintain my physical conditioning and, more importantly, keep my mind in a good place. As should all of us.