By Anders Lorenzen

Today the 5th of June marks two very different naming days, but then again they may be more interlinked than most people imagine; World Environment Day and Global Running Day.

With less than two months to the 2024 Olympics, held in Paris, one can think back to the most recent Games held in Tokyo in 2021 where extreme heat severely impacted not only the scheduling but also put significantly more stress on the human body.

Unfortunately, the weather experienced in Tokyo then was not a one-off event but in line with what climate scientists predict we can expect in a warming world. And this is only the beginning, it is going to get much worse as the planet continues to heat up, even if we stop all emissions tomorrow. As many would be aware we are struggling to even plateau our emissions meaning that they’re rising year on year.

Heat and running

But the climate crisis impacts much more than the professional side of running. Globally if you were to look at all running disciplines it is one of the most popular exercise activities and it is how children in combination with walking get to explore and play. From an anthropology point of view, the early humans ran far each day and it was critical to the survival of society. Today there’s no such need, meaning far too many people are sedentary leading to serious health concerns and decreased life-span.

We are all familiar with the message that when there is a heatwave, or even just a spell of warmer than usual temperatures, we are advised to stay indoors and keep cool and if you go outside there are certain time slots of the day you should avoid and you should stay shaded from the sun. This is obvious general advice and each body is different to how well they handle heat and your level of fitness have a lot to say as well.

But it is worth reflecting on the fact that when we run, in our tolerable climatic environment, we put our body through similar stuff than when it is exposed to heat. When we exercise, our core temperature increases and the body needs to cool itself down. It does this by sweating as evaporation is the main mechanism of cooling down. Heat stroke happens if you are not able to quickly cool yourself down. 

Not wanting to scare one, but in his 2019 book The Uninhabitable Earth, the brilliant science writer and author David Wallace-Wells focuses extensively on what happens to our body when exposed to extreme heat.

Several big global running race organisers are getting increasingly concerned about the impact climate change poses to its events with cancellations a more and more frequent occurrence. 

Why the running community should care about climate action

If you love running it would be in your own interest to care about climate action too. While in the global context, you may think that running is a small player when it comes to carbon footprint. But it is bigger than you may think. The increased obsession of purchasing more and more running shoes, clothing and other gadgets as well as the surge in travelling to global running races has a significant carbon footprint. 

Ask yourself how much you actually need and if you really need to travel long distances to attend races. Additionally, become a local green ambassador for your local running event and community.

Take some inspiration from the climate and running influencers and advocates such as Jasmin Paris who recently attracted headlines for winning the Barkley Marathons and the professional ultrarunner Kílian Jornet who has also set up the Kílian Jornet Foundation or you could join the Green Runners community set up by the ultrarunner Damian Hall and others.

Happy World Environment Day and Global Running Day!