written by The Trail Co.
on 18 January 2023
Blue skies, dry and dusty trails and stopping to take in the views and the creeks (by which we mean: sit in the creeks). Summer running is here.
Longer days means that the world is yours for the taking as early as you can handle the alarm clock going off… It’s light and warm outside before work, and the feeling of getting your run in before the heat and the start of your day is well worth it. And if you're in Brisbane, our Bardon store is open from 7:30am, serving coffee on the deck to celebrate your successful early morning adventures.
If you can, choose to run amongst the trees to offer some shade, or plan to finish your long run somewhere you can swim. We’ve found getting submerged is the fastest way to cool down after a big effort on the trails.
When the temperature’s up, one way to stay cool is to shift into wearing lighter weight clothing. High performance technical wear is designed to help you shed sweat faster, and allows evaporation to cool you down. Look for products with perforations, or mesh sections, fabrics which are thinner or lighter. Think about whether you need sunscreen if you’re ditching the shoulder coverage.
Switching your t-shirt for a singlet is an obvious choice, but switching black, or darker coloured clothing for white or light colours can help reflect the sun and in turn reduce the absorption of heat though your clothes. And carry a bit of personal body lube if you’re running long with a pack for the first time in case the straps start to rub your shoulders or collar bones.
“There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”
Alfred Wainwright
Shading your head isn’t only sun smart, it’s essential to beat the heat. Technical caps and hats now widely available, from brands like Ciele Athletics and Fractel, so you don’t have to sweat buckets, you can just wear one. Or a legionnaire’s cap to shade your ears and neck too. Performance doesn’t have to compromise style either, with literally dozens of styles and colours to choose from, and trail running sunnies to match, of course.
With hot, dry weather, trails become harder and can demand a tougher shoe, or start to wear a softer outsole material faster. If you usually run in a shoe with bigger lugs designed for mud, it may be worth trying a trail running shoe more suited to drier trails.
Having a couple of pairs of trail shoes in your rotation to handle different surfaces and weather conditions can save you from over-wearing the soles and mean you’ll have the grip you need for the trails you’re running.
During the hotter months, you’re likely to sweat more while running as your body tries to keep you cool.
It’s not just water that you’re losing either – ever noticed that salty crust on your forehead or in your clothes after a hot run? Those salts are essential electrolytes that your body needs to function properly. Electrolytes help to keep your body in balance;.they regulate nerve and muscle function, hydrate your body, and balance blood pH. If you’re losing electrolytes quickly through exertion, you need to put them back in and the easiest way is by drinking them.
By taking a nutrition product containing electrolytes on your run – whether it’s a soluble powder powder like Tailwind, Fixx, Precision Hydration, or Pure, a tablet like Saltstick, or Nuun, or consuming some energy gels – you can get started on replenishing what you lose while you sweat.
Experiment with a few different sports nutrition products that contain electrolytes, as different brands contain different quantities of electrolytes than others. For instance, Tailwind contains 2x the amount of sodium than Pure, and Precision Hydration offers three levels of sodium in their electrolyte drink mix. Some runners need the extra salt, while others don’t.
If you want to get into the nitty gritty, you can get a laboratory sweat test, alternatively you can weigh yourself before and after your run to get an idea of how much water you've lost. Whatever the outcome, we recommend you experiment with a few different hydration products until you find a balance that works for you.
Single serve or stick packs are a great way to try a new product without having to commit to a big bag until you know it works for you.
“Signs of dehydration while you’re running are:
thirst, headache, increased heart rate, fatigue, losing the need to pee / or darker than usual urine, decreased performance.
None of which are awesome.”
The Trail Co.
A running pack or a running belt are excellent for trail running in summer for carrying water bottles, along with any extra items like anti-chafe balm, food, or sunscreen. They're designed specifically for trail running, and come in a variety of sizes and volumes to suit carrying everyday items, all the way up to mandatory gear for 100-mile ultra-marathons.
General advice is to carry more fluid than you need, just in case a flask leaks or your run takes longer than expected. (A friend to the store once took a wrong turn and turned their 5 hour run into a 9 hour run. (see: Leland's Corner).
And while electrolyte and fuel-filled drinks are great, it can be useful to have one bottle with plain water in to freshed your tastebuds or hose your face down.
If you’re racing in summer the heat, event organisers sometimes provide ice at check points or aid stations. When it’s really hot, this can be a lifesaver and help you cool your core down fast. Shoving a few handfuls of ice under your running hat or into your hydration vest pockets will help to cool your core temperature down, and as the ice melts, evaporation will take further heat away from your skin. Just getting wet can help too.
You can also freeze bottles before a run and let them cool you from your hydration vest while they melt on a long run. We’d suggest at least one of your bottles has ready-to-drink fluid in it, so you’re not standing around waiting for your bottles to thaw!
Insulated flasks and sleeves for hydration bladders will also slow your body from warming up any cool liquid you’re carrying in your pack.
Nothing rubs us up the wrong way more than chafe while we’re running. Our expert advice: prevention is the best cure!
When you sweat more, the buildup of heat and salt on your skin happens faster, and we find the best way to prevent chafe is to use an anti-chafe lubricant like Body Glide or Squirrels Nut Butter to stop it in the first place. How much, how, and where you apply is a personal choice.
Apply generously before your run, and carry a smaller tube or pot of lube in a pocket or your pack on longer runs. They never go unappreciated when you find yourself starting to chafe during a long run or race.
Pack a towel, or invest in a set of seat covers if you’re going home in the car. Even if you don’t swim, they’re great for protecting your seats when you’re swimming in sweat.
And it’s never too early to start your recovery ritual. Take in some fluids, possibly with electrolytes and protein to kick-start your recovery as soon as you’re done running. Tailwind Recovery is really popular product with our staff and customers, as it’s a quick way to start replacing lost electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein by mixing a couple of scoops in water. (Yes, even runners need protein).
Have fun and enjoy the journey! It's what trail running is all about after all, no matter the season.
Blue skies, dry and dusty trails and stopping to take in the views and the creeks (by which we mean: sit in the creeks). Summer running is here. The earlier, the better L...
Fixx Nutrition are the official nutrition provider for Ultra-Trail Australia, 2022. We caught up with them on how to train and race with Fixx to get you through the UTA50 and UTA10...
Choosing the perfect Christmas gift for the trail runner in your life can be a tricky task. Especially if they're the sort of runner who has 'everything'! If you're not sure wha...
Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern The Trail Co. Pty Ltd’s relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.
The term ‘The Trail Co. Pty Ltd’ or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is . Our ABN is 90609730985. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.
The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:
This privacy policy outlines how we use and protect any information that you provide us when using this website.
We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
The policy may be occasionally updated. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you agree with any changes.
What we collect
The Trail Co. may collect the following information:
What we do with the information we gather
The Trail Co. require this information to further understand your needs and improve our service, in particular for the following reasons:
We do not share your data
The Trail Co. will not share your data with any third party for marketing purposes, and you will not receive offers from other companies or organisations as a result of providing us with your details.
You can unsubscribe at any time
Although The Trail Co. would like to stay in touch, you can unsubscribe at any time - simply click on the unsubscribe link in any of our emails or contact us via the website to unsubscribe from our mailing list.
Security
The Trail Co. take your security very seriously and take all reasonable steps to keep your personal information secure. Personal information may be stored both electronically on our computer system, and in hard-copy form. We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable procedures to safeguard and secure your information.
How we use cookies
To enable our systems to recognise your computer and to provide certain features to you, The Trail Co. uses cookies. This is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic, allowing web applications to respond to you individually. The web application can tailor itself to your personal needs by gathering information about your preferences.
The Trail Co. use traffic log cookies to identify page usage. This helps analyse data about customer traffic, allowing the website to be improved, based on customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and this data is then removed from the system.
Cookies provide you with a better website experience by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful. A cookie does not give The Trail Co. access to your computer or any personal, other than the data you have chosen to share.
You are able to either accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers now automatically accept cookies, but you can usually change your browser settings to decline cookies. However, this may prevent you from taking full advantage of the The Trail Co. website.
Links to other websites
The Trail Co. website may contain links to other websites. However, once you have used these links and have left our site, you should note that The Trail Co. has no control over other websites. We therefore cannot be responsible for the protection of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites. These external sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website you are visiting.
Controlling your personal information
You can restrict the collection or use of your personal information:
If you believe that any information The Trail Co. is holding about you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us.