If you suffer from seasonal allergies, or hay fever, running outside can be an experience that is not so pleasant during allergy season. Even a short run outside can trigger symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, eye irritation, and tearing. But it is possible to run outdoors, even if you have seasonal allergies. Follow these tips to keep your runs symptom-free:
- Schedule workouts when the amount of pollen is low. Pollen concentrations are generally highest from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Avoid running on windy days. The wind spreads pollen through the air, so run inside when it’s windy. You may want to avoid running outside during the day after high winds.
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- Shower right after your run. The worst allergy symptoms don’t happen until about an hour after coming in contact with the pollen, so you may be able to run outside without feeling any symptoms. But to reduce your risk of symptoms after your run, be sure to shower and put on clean clothes as soon as you get home from your run.
- Running after a thunderstorm. The pollen count drops as the rain washes away the pollen, so you are less likely to experience symptoms after the rain.
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