5 tips for running under the summer sun

Regardless of if you love or hate running in the summer, the scorching heat and humidity can take a dangerous toll on your body if you're not careful. Here are five handy tips to help you stay safe and keep from overheating.

Temperatures and humidity levels tend to be lower early in the morning, so you're likely to get a higher quality run in at this time of day.

• Waiting until later in the day means running when it's hotter outside, and this exposes you to greater risk of overheating.

It can be easy to talk yourself out of getting up early for a run or to try to avoid running in the heat altogether.

• Make a plan to run with a friend. This not only makes the run more enjoyable, but it also keeps you accountable.

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy when running in the heat.

• Drink lots of water before, during and after your run.
• If you're going to run a race, start hydrating your body a few days ahead of time.

All of that water may inadvertently flush too many electrolytes out of your system, so occasionally mix a sugar-free electrolyte mix in with your water.

Wearing a hat shades your eyes and face, and keeps the sun from beating down on your head.

• Sunglasses are also a must to help protect your eyes.
• Be sure to apply sunscreen to shield your skin from the sun's harmful rays. Even on cloudy days, the sun can potentially damage your skin.

Lowering your core temperature ahead of time helps your body to cope with the heat better during the run.

• Cool your core with ice packs stuffed down your shirt or sports bra in the front and back.
• Also, there are lots of blood vessels in your wrists, so pouring cool water on them or holding ice to them sends cooled blood throughout your system.

Even if running in the heat isn't your favourite thing to do, there are lots of ways to do it safely and make it more enjoyable.