Ice bandanas, convenience store breaks: Running under Japan’s summer sun

Multiple regions across Japan are now seeing temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius, and with each year competing against the last for new record highs, what is a runner in this increasingly sweltering country to do?

Should we be resigned to spend our summers exercising indoors? Many community center gyms have treadmills in air-conditioned facilities that can be used for a mere ¥500 entrance fee, but one of the conveniences of running has always been its near-universal accessibility — you need only step into the right shoes, get yourself outside and start moving.

Just take the summer off and start running again when autumn comes around, I can hear some of you saying. For many runners, consistency is a critical component of the entire experience. It allows us to measure our progress and manage our fitness, and the so-called runner’s high and other mental health benefits of regular sessions lose most if not all of their effectiveness if running is no longer an option for several months out of the year.

In fact, summer is increasingly challenging winter as the season to up your physical activity for mental health benefits. The Japanese refer to the summer-specific version of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as “kaki utsu” — a condition that manifests itself via trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety and a host of other symptoms.

In the long winters I grew up with in Michigan, I would fend off SAD in those months by simply adding as many layers to my running outfit as necessary to stay warm, but in a Japanese summer there is, of course, a legal limit to how many layers I can remove.

During my time in Japan, I have run in some pretty extreme conditions, very few of which have made me consider dropping the habit entirely for a different sort of exercise. Even as summers continue to heat up, I retain the same mindset: Just keep running — though with some heat-specific adjustments to my equipment, planning and mindset.

Don’t get your hopes up too much — there’s nothing hiding on the shelves of sporting goods stores that will cloak you in a mobile bubble of cool air during your runs. What Japan does have, however, are a few easily affordable ways to work some more cooling elements into your sessions.

For equipment, the first and obvious step is to implement the standard arsenal of sunscreen (avoid excessively oily products that can prevent efficient sweating), a brimmed hat and sunglasses. Many runners in Japan also use sun protector sleeves as well as desert sun hats to provide shade for the neck.

The “ice bandana” is a tool that works well, too — placing ice cubes into a bandana or a running gaiter and wearing it around your neck to keep cool. A regular bandana artfully twisted will keep the ice in place, or you can purchase a purpose-made item with a zipper. Japan’s ubiquitous convenience stores sell small packages of ice to restock the bandana when the ice inevitably melts (just make sure you dispose of the plastic container properly).

I have also seen recommendations for storing your running hat in the freezer and then putting it on just before starting the run. This could also be applied to sleeves, socks and shorts if desired (though any cooling effect will only last for the initial part of your run).

Even if you combine all of the above, you won’t feel much cooling relief if you continue to run during the hottest periods of the day — which is why you should consider some tweaks to how you plan your summer runs.

Schedules permitting, runners who usually go out in the morning or afternoon should think about switching to nighttime runs. Since Japan does not observe daylight saving time, it’s already unbearably hot by the time 7 a.m. rolls around. And despite the higher humidity, it’s so much cooler after the sun sets.

If mealtime is a concern, I recommend coming home after work and eating a light 100 to 200 calorie snack (a banana or yōkan jelly serves well), then get the brunt of your evening meal prep as ready as possible so that cooking a full dinner is less of a painful task after your run. When you’re sufficiently hydrated and fueled, get your run in and cool off at home with a shower before your recovery dinner. Just be sure to consider your sleeping habits if evening exercise tends to keep you up late rather than satisfyingly wear you out.

If you follow a training plan that calls for long runs (for runners training for half marathons or more, this would mean anything longer than 10 kilometers) on the weekends, many convenience stores sell frozen drinks. Stick one into your running pack or belt and it will simultaneously keep you cool while frozen and refresh you once melted and ready to drink.

Alternatively, heading out of the city and onto cross-country trails for long runs is, in my opinion, much more comfortable than running in a concrete heat island. Getting up into elevation and enjoying the mountain breeze is almost as enjoyable as jumping into a cool stream. Beside being a supportive community, the Tokyo Trail Running club has perfected the art of stringing together waterfalls on Kanto-area trails, and a minute or two under a rushing downfall is a lifesaver in the heat. Runners interested in trying this can join a run for free — just check the website and keep your own physical ability level in mind when upcoming courses are posted.

Arguably the greatest weapon in any runner’s toolkit is their internal fortitude, and as summers threaten to boil interminably hotter each year, it pays to consider how to steel not only your body but your spirit against this eventuality.

Athlete365, the International Olympic Committee’s official community for elite athletes and Olympians, recently issued a pamphlet on how elite athletes in Paris and beyond can protect themselves against heat-related illnesses. According to Athlete365, success at future events will be determined not just by individual metrics of skill and strength but also how successful athletes can adapt their bodies to higher temperatures during competitions.

Based on its research, the organization recommends intentionally training in hot conditions, within certain parameters, in order to acclimate the body. Sweating is critical to a human’s ability to control their internal temperatures, and sweating efficiently requires proper hydration and electrolytes. If athletes can expose themselves to high-heat conditions similar to what will occur during their competition for at least two weeks before their event, studies found that athletes increased their sweat rate, retained electrolytes better and showed decreased heart rate and core body temperatures.

As a frame of mind, this bodes well for amateur runners, too. Knowledge is power, and knowing that, given time, your body possesses the ability to perform more efficiently in higher temperatures can all be part of the journey from couch to 5K and beyond.

Just before starting your run, take a brief moment to acknowledge the heat and accept it as a part of the challenge. Running and sweating and testing your limits are not alien concepts for runners, and the same skills used to push you from a 2-km run to longer sessions can be applied to running throughout the summer.

Exercise caution where possible, but remember that no matter how high the mercury rises, there’s a piece of your DNA that helped your prehistoric ancestors become the endurance champions of the animal kingdom.