Don't Forget the Ears

Walking out into warm sunshine to begin a workout is much more pleasant than starting out in the cold darkness of night.  Running in the sun feels good.  Not weighted down by layers of cumbersome clothing--wearing little more than a t-shirt and shorts--miles swiftly fly by for runners in the summer sun.  Warmth from the sun's rays loosens tight muscles and gives joints more mobility.  Not only are muscles warm and loose when the sun and temperature rise, essential vitamin D molecules are absorbed through your skin when you're outside in the sunshine.

Without a doubt, it feels good to run when it's warm.  However, we can't ignore the silent killer out there lurking in those rays of light.  Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the number one cause of skin cancer.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually.  In the United States it is estimated that one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer in their lifetime.  Those statistics are concerning.

Although skin cancer is the most common form of cancer--outnumbering all other cancers combined--it is the most preventable.  Sun exposure is cumulative, and day after day, the time you spend running in the sun is adding up.  So should you give up running during the day to avoid developing skin cancer?  Not necessarily.  Long sleeves and long pants are always an option, but not very practical if it's warm outside.  If a tank top and shorts are your workout wear of choice, be smart and slather up with sunscreen.

Be generous when applying sunscreen, and don't overlook your ears.  One of the most common places skin cancer occurs is on the ears.  When we work out, our ears are, more often than not, exposed.  Even though you may not necessarily feel a sunburn on your ears, your ears absorb a tremendous amount of sun and do burn.  Baseball caps and visors provide sun protection for your face, but none for your ears.  If you get in the habit of applying sunscreen to your face and ears each morning while getting dressed, you won't have to remember later on when you're anxious to get out the door and to the trail.

LACE UP, slather up, and enjoy the sun!

Assignment for today and tomorrow:   run 45 minutes today and 55 minutes tomorrow