Running In The Heatwave: How I'm Using My Running Weighted Vest To Stay Cool

Why This Heatwave Has Made Me Rethink My Runs

I don't know about you, but this heatwave has completely changed how I train. We have had days pushing into the low thirties across the south this week, with amber and yellow heat health alerts in place, and if you have tried to run in it you will already know it feels nothing like a normal session. Your legs get heavy faster, your heart rate creeps up for no reason, and any extra load on your body suddenly feels like a much bigger ask than usual.

I am not putting my Force Running Weighted Vest away for the summer, I just train smarter in it. So I want to talk you through exactly what I am doing differently this week, and why, so you can keep your consistency without gambling with your health.

Is A Weighted Running Vest Still Right For This Heat

Short answer, yes, this one is actually built for it. Unlike a lot of bulky weighted vests, the Force Running Weighted Vest has a close, low profile fit with a dual front strap system designed to stop bounce, which is normally the thing that makes running with load so miserable and inefficient. It also comes with a removable bottle holder, so you can sip on the move rather than stopping, which matters far more than usual when it is this warm.

Where I do think carefully is the weight. This vest is available in 4kg, 6kg, 8kg, and 10kg, and my own rule of thumb, which matches what we always tell customers, is that if running is your main goal, 4kg or 6kg is plenty, and the heavier 8kg or 10kg options are better suited to walking or rucking. In a heatwave, I drop down a size from whatever I would normally choose, because less load means less internal heat, and that gives your body one less thing to fight against while it is already working hard to keep you cool.

How I Am Adjusting My Own Training This Week

A few small changes make a huge difference when the mercury climbs. Here is what I am actually doing on my own sessions right now.

I am dropping the weight. If I would normally run with 8kg, this week I am running with 6kg, or even 4kg on the hottest afternoons. It keeps the session honest without tipping me into overheating.

I am training early or late. Anything outdoors happens before eight in the morning or after seven in the evening, when the sun is lower and the UV is lower too. The built in front and back LED lights on the vest mean visibility is not a reason to skip an early or late session, even if the light is still a little low.

I am actually using the bottle holder properly. It sounds obvious, but having water clipped to me rather than in my hand means I genuinely drink more during a run, little and often, rather than waiting until I am parched and then necking half a bottle at once.

I am swapping some runs for a loaded walk instead. On the very hottest days, I will clip on my vest, dial the weight right back, and turn what would have been a run into a brisk rucking style walk. You can find our full range of rucking kit in our rucking gear collection if you want to build a session around that instead.

My Go To Cooling Strategies For Summer Sessions

Staying cool is not just about when you train, it is about how you set yourself up beforehand. I always hydrate well before I even lace up, not just during the session, because by the time you feel thirsty you are already behind. On anything over twenty minutes I keep drinking steadily from the bottle holder, and on longer or sweatier sessions I will add electrolytes too.

What I wear matters just as much as what I am carrying. Loose, breathable, moisture wicking layers make a genuine difference under a vest, and it is worth having a proper look through our clothing and accessories if your current kit is holding heat against your skin rather than letting it escape.

I also plan my route around shade, trees, parks and anywhere near water tends to feel noticeably cooler than open pavement, and I let a friend or training partner know where I am heading, which is just good sense in extreme heat.

Signs I Tell My Clients To Stop Immediately

I want you to enjoy training this summer, not end up in a heap on the pavement, so please take this part seriously. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, confused, get a pounding headache, or notice you have actually stopped sweating despite the heat, stop straight away, get into shade or somewhere cool, remove the vest, and sip water. If symptoms do not ease quickly or you feel like something is seriously wrong, treat it as a medical emergency and get help. There is no personal best worth risking your health for.

My Honest Recommendation For This Week

If you are itching to train but the thought of a full pace run in this heat does not sit right, you are listening to your body correctly. Drop down to a lighter weight in your Force Running Weighted Vest, move your session to the cooler hours, use that bottle holder properly, and do not be afraid to turn a run into a brisk loaded walk when the temperature demands it. If you are still building up to running with load, our weighted vest size guide is a good place to check you are starting at the right weight for you. Train this way and you will keep your consistency without gambling with your health, and that is what separates a training plan that lasts all summer from one that burns out in a week.

Stay smart, stay hydrated, and I will see you out there, early morning or late evening, very soon.