Overheating while running

Originally posted by SuzieZ View Post

Hi everyone. I'm new to this site and am very excited to "meet" others with MS who are trying to stay active. I've recently started running and am training for my first 5K in April. The problem I'm having is even though I'm cool when beginning my run (at around 60 degrees) by the time I've run two miles I'm overheated. My head throbs, my face turns red and I usually end up with a migraine.

Any suggestions? I've looked into some of the cooling gear I've found but not sure what would work.

Although I couldn't run out of the way of a slow bus these days, I do cycle quite a bit and there's probably a similarity between running and cycling up a long hill in the heat, and cycling uphill in warm weather and full sun is definately tough on a MSer.

I guess if I know I'm going to have to do that, first of all, I under dress as much as possible in the best moisture wicking gear I have. Assuming I have access to plenty of water, I might liberally douse myself, especially the head, from time to time. If it all gets to be too much, the only recourse is to slow or stop, preferably in some shade, until I can recover a bit.

If you can get a cold wet cloth to put around your neck at a rest station, that's a huge help.

I also find that with training, I am able to increase my heat tolerance by 10 to 15 degrees but it seems to take about six weeks, the first few of which are truly miserable.

I've tried using cooling neckwear with mixed results. While it feels great at first, seems it eventually becomes more of an irritant than it is worth. Having said that though, I've seen where some professional cyclists are wearing cooling gear so perhaps I just haven't found the right thing.

Anyway, good luck, keep pushing but don't push too hard and you'll probably find a way.

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