How to work out
Last month, Britain experienced its hottest day of the year, causing the Met Office to issue a yellow health warning, meaning there’s an 80per cent chance of the current temperatures posing a risk to health. And those who exercise outdoors should heed this warning more than most.
“Regardless of how fit you are, exercising outside for longer than 45 minutes to an hour is going to pose a significant threat to your body this week,” says Roberts.
“Drinking enough water is probably the most fundamental part of exercising in a heatwave,” says Roberts. “And as well as starting off hydrated, within the first half an hour you need to drink about half a litre of water and keep topping yourself up. If you’re cycling, take a large bottle of water with you and plan a route where you can top up on the way. Likewise, if you’re running, don’t run in remote areas where you can’t get a refill.”
According to Dr Andrew Murray, who became the first person to run across the Namib desert in the Namibian summer, you should be hydrated prior to starting exercise (aim for clear or straw-coloured urine), and wear light-coloured, loose fitting clothing. “I also wear sunscreen, and a buff around my wrist, to wipe excess sweat away. Don’t think about personal bests, and run on the shady side of the road, if there is one.”
Roberts says exercising first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening is also a good idea.
“If you’re training for an upcoming event, now isn’t the time to stick rigidly to a training schedule or aim for a personal best,” says Professor Sanjay Sharma, medical director of the London Marathon. “But, rather, apply sunscreen, douse your head and back of neck with cold water regularly, and overall, listen to your body.”