Made in the Shade: Sun Protection

People used to think that a great tan was one of running’s main side benefits. Now we know better. There are almost a million new cases of skin cancer every year in the United States. My grandfather died from a melanoma, and my mom has had skin cancer, so I’m especially aware of this problem. But it’s not just those of us with a family history of these problems who need to be careful, especially with the growing hole in the ozone layer. These days, smart runners can take a few, easy steps to lower their risk of overexposure to the sun.
The major one is to wear a waterproof sunscreen. It should have an SPF (sun protection factor) rating of at least 15. Ten to 15 minutes before your run, apply it liberally to any body parts that are going to be exposed. In the past, you may have heard that these sport sunscreens interfered with sweating, making you much hotter. Recent research, however, has shown that you’ll sweat just as much when you wear sunscreen, so glop it on.
Other steps to lower your sun exposure while running include the following:

• Wear something on your head to shield your face.
• Wear sport sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Try not to run when the sun is strongest, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Run in the shade. (You’ll also stay cooler if you do.) If you’re lucky enough to be running during daylight hours in the winter, don’t forget the sunscreen. The sun isn’t as strong then, but it can do its work nonetheless, especially when it’s reflecting off snow.

Neither Sleet, nor Hail: Foul-Weather Running

Along with the frozen-lung query, one of the other most common weather-related questions I hear is, “What do you do when it rains?” The answer: Get wet. What I mean, without being too much of a martyr about it, is that part of being a runner is coping with the hand that Mother Nature deals. Again, most people in our society have lost their connection to the outdoors. The only running in the rain they can imagine is from their office building to the car so that they don’t get wet.
But what do you do after a run? You get in the shower; you get wet. Why is so horrible to get wet during your run? Unless the rain is cold, running in the rain can be incredibly enjoyable. Think about when you were a kid and how you splashed in puddles or how good it felt to be in the rain in the middle of summer.
Of course, running in the rain isn’t always ideal. As I said, a cold rain is not that fun. You have to be extra careful, especially if you’re running near a lot of traffic. Cars aren’t going to be able to see you as well. But most times, putting on the right gear and a baseball or painter’s cap is the only added step you need to take to have a great run. When you get home, just be sure to change into dry clothes as soon as possible. Notice how I keep mentioning cold rain? I’m not going to tell you that being a runner means you stick to your planned run no matter what the conditions. Freezing rain, sleet, hail—when the weather is that bad, it’s usually time to reconsider. Shorten your run, sticking close to home so that you can end the run quickly if conditions deteriorate. Or, if the nasty stuff is only going to be around for a day, don’t feel guilty about taking the day off. You can get battered around if you always try to run in those conditions. I once had to take cover while running during a major hail storm in Arizona. The only other weather I really fear is lightning. I just don’t go out when it’s striking.
Fortunately, you can usually wait for it to pass and get in a nice post-storm run.