Heatwave forces marathon runner to buy cooling headband after 7-mile run

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 AUGUST 2026 —

Marathon runners adapt to scorching conditions as brands and athletes race against rising temperatures

KUALA LUMPUR — As heatwaves intensify globally, marathon runners are increasingly prioritising heat management over traditional training metrics like pace and distance. Performance brands such as Nike are responding with cooling gear, while athletes adjust schedules, hydration strategies, and even race-day expectations to cope with temperatures that once seemed extreme but are now becoming the norm.

For Jen Dimascio-Donohue, a New York-based project manager training for the New York City Marathon, the decision to purchase a US$234 cooling headband called Omius came after a sweltering Fourth of July weekend run in Massachusetts. Temperatures exceeded 27°C by 10 a.m., forcing her to plunge into the ocean to cool down. “I felt, ‘I’ve reached my boiling point. Literally,’” she said. The headband, which she rewets every 30 minutes during runs, has since become a staple in her training. Dimascio-Donohue had first noticed the product during Sifan Hassan’s gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Dutch athlete wore the same cooling band.

Climate change has transformed heat from a mere inconvenience into a critical factor in marathon preparation. Frequent heatwaves in New York, prolonged dry spells in London, and record-breaking summers in Hong Kong now force runners to reconsider everything from training times to race-day safety. The consequences of ignoring heat stress can be severe: heat exhaustion and, in extreme cases, heatstroke—a condition that can damage the brain and other organs. According to Runna, a coaching app, 80% of its users adapt or skip runs due to hot weather, with that figure rising to 92% in America’s Sun Belt. The app now includes a heat-adaptation update that uses local weather data to adjust a runner’s pace, ensuring the same training effort as on cooler days.

Steph Kessell, lead coach for Runna, emphasised that the body’s effort level—not pace—determines training benefits. “Our bodies don’t know pace; they know effort,” she said. This shift reflects a broader trend in sports science: training the body to tolerate heat stress. Chris Douge, a New York business developer training for the Chicago Marathon on Oct 11, has incorporated sauna sessions three times a week. “Managing the heat is more important than the shoes I wear,” he said. “I consider training for the heat equivalent to training for hills on a course.”

Research supports this approach. Christopher Minson, a professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon, noted that the human body can adapt well to heat, with many changes offering protective benefits. He recommends athletes begin heat acclimation at least a month before a race, ideally making it a regular part of training. Methods include post-run saunas, scheduling low-effort sessions during warmer parts of the day, and training in heated rooms—though critical workouts like interval days should remain in cooler conditions.

The shifting peak heat window is another challenge. Emma Kirk-Odunubi, a sports scientist and running coach in London, observed that the hottest part of the day now extends well past 5 or 6 p.m., forcing runners to readjust schedules. QuHarrison Terry, preparing for the Great World Race—a seven-marathon series across seven continents in November—has shifted his Dallas training to early evenings. “It feels like it’s getting cooler as you go, versus morning runs, where it just keeps getting hotter the longer you’re out there,” he said.

In Hong Kong, where heat has long posed challenges for outdoor sports, telecommunications strategist Sylvia Lour has adjusted her Berlin Marathon training by skipping early-morning group runs on exposed routes. Yet even meticulous preparation cannot guarantee race-day conditions. Traditionally, fall marathons in Berlin, Chicago, and New York relied on cool, low-humidity weather, with temperatures between 2°C and 13°C. However, a Climate Central analysis of 221 global marathons suggests these ideal conditions are fading.

Andrew Pershing, chief programme officer at Climate Central, highlighted the cancellation of the 2023 Twin Cities Marathon due to extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 33°C in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Last year’s Berlin Marathon also saw unseasonably high temperatures of about 27°C—roughly 10°C above the late September average and “made at least two times more likely by climate change,” Pershing said. “The reality is that the risk of heat affecting performance or safety will continue to increase year after year for most races.”

Race organisers are responding in varied ways. The Cape Town Marathon moved from October to May to reduce overheating risks, while the Los Angeles Marathon allowed runners to stop at Mile 18 for a finisher medal when temperatures hit 31°C in February. These adjustments raise broader questions about heat safety responsibilities. Kirk-Odunubi, who is training for the Sydney Marathon on Aug 30, warned that such measures must extend beyond major events to shorter races. Otherwise, she fears runners may avoid outdoor events altogether due to safety concerns. She recalled receiving worried messages ahead of the April 26 London Marathon, despite it not traditionally being a hot-weather event.

As the global climate warms, marathoners face a new reality: heat is no longer an occasional obstacle but a constant variable in training and competition. From cooling headbands to sauna sessions, athletes and brands are racing to adapt—yet the ultimate challenge may lie in whether the sport can evolve fast enough to keep pace with the planet.