These products were provided by NEUTROGENA®. Thoughts and opinions are my own. #gotitfree
I’m terrible at it. I’ll be the first to admit it. The good thing is that I live in the Bay Area where we are fortunate enough not to have the sun on top of us year around. That being said, we still need to protect ourselves.
Here are THREE reasons that runners should protect themselves with sunscreen
We run, a lot.
That means that we are out in the sun, especially during summer, for hours at a time. Sure we may get some protection from shady areas, or hats and clothing, but we are all aware of the “runner tan” that shows up on our shoulders, arms (especially the watch-tan), and on our legs. Even if we are not getting “burned,” we are still need to protect ourselves against UV rays while we are logging miles.
We sweat, a lot.
Ever wonder why you seem to tan (or burn) more easily when you are running or being active in the sun? Well, your sweat (or moisture) actually increases the chances of your skin to react more quickly.
“Outdoor athletes face double jeopardy because perspiring exacerbates their risk.” — Brian B. Adams, MD, MPH, FAAD, and chairperson of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Sports Committee. Source: SaltMarshRunning.com
We like to get a tan.
Wait, we SHOULD wear sunscreen if we want a tan? That’s right. Applying a nice base layer on your skin can help prevent you from getting sunburn, which can increase your chances of skin cancer — one blistering sunburn doubles your risk for malignant melanoma, the most dangerous and ever-increasing form of skin cancer.
Since even the strongest from of sunscreen can’t protect you from 100 percent of UV, you can still get your tan on while protecting yourself. There are various forms of SPF protection (NEUTROGENA® CoolDry Sport comes in SPF 30 and 70) to choose from and since we are in the sun several times a week, you can build your tan slowly over time.
Click here to learn more about the line (AND A COUPON)
Choosing NEUTROGENA® CoolDry Sport
I have been embracing the nice “golden skin” I have developed over the past few months of marathon training. Going out for a run 4-5 times a week, often without a shirt, has created a nice even tan. Lately, wifey has been reminding me that I need to protect myself and just like magic, NEUTROGENA® reached out to give their products a try.
Click here to see the NEUTROGENA CoolDry Sport line (and for a coupon).
They sent over several options of their CoolDry Sport line: the lotion as well as the spray (SPF 30 and 70). I’m more of a fan of the spray, but both can provide some much-needed protection for active athletes.
- MICROMESH™ technology: clinically proven to allow perspiration to pass through the sunscreen without compromising the full strength SPF protection (see how it works).
- Sweat and Water Resistant (80 minutes)
- Unisex. Yep, NEUTROGENA is for the boys, too. It doesn’t have that “sunsceen-cocnutty” smell, rather a fresh, clean scent that I found rather nice.
- Not-so-sticky: As the #1 Dermatologist recommended brand, NEUTROGENA put their science team to work in developing technology that eliminates the “sticky” feeling sunscreens can create
Neutrogena CoolDry Sport, available in spray and lotion
Protect yourself (and #PushFurther)
Protecting yourself in the sun, even when you are not running, is important. Just as a sunburn is a severe reaction and can increase your chances of skin cancer, even a tan is a result of skin damage. Applying sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) 15-20 minutes before sun exposure can help decrease the risk of skin damage. Additional ways include avoiding peak hours in the sun (typically 10am-2pm), wearing protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses.
A special thank you to NEUTROGENA and Fitfluential for allowing me to add NEUTROGENA CoolDry Sport Sunscreen to my resources for protecting myself while running. I also now have a bottle of my own to put on when the First Lady asks “what about Daddy?” when she has to put her sunscreen on. SCORE!
How do you protect yourself in the sun?
This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Neutrogena.
Sunscreen is soooo important especially for those of us who are always out on any adventure! I love Neutrogena sun products! It’s one of our family favorites. Great review!
It has such a pleasant scent. Although I like the coconut smell found in some, I don’t know that I could stand it for hours.
Thank you for the reminder. I’m guilty of forgetting this important part of running when I head out there to get my miles in. Will definitely have to check this product out.
Like I said, I’m the worst about it. It’s wifey and the daughter that always have to remind me.
I’ve got to put in a plug for the new UV collection by Buff. I’m bad about the areas most likely to get sunburned: scalp and tops of ears! The UV half Buff has been a good way to get my hair out of my face AND protect those sensitive spots.
Always great to have options. Thanks for the share.
Hubby died of skin cancer so I am a huge advocate of this issue. I do most running well before 10am or after 5pm. The only thing i still struggle with is reapplying sunscreen 80 minutes into s run. And as a 10-11 min mile pace runner I am outside for 5 hours during a marathon. And the NYC marathon will start for me after 10am so I know I need to figure out some way. I also alway wear a hat with a visor and sunglasses.
I’m saddened to hear about your husband. Thank you for sharing that with us and reminding us how HUGE of a concern this can be. I think that medical tents should have some form of sunscreen on hand, that might be something to look into if it’s something you can’t carry while you run.
I love Neutrogena sunscreen – it doesn’t feel heavy on my skin.
Sunscreen is SO important! I had a skin cancer scare in highschool and that was enough to make me slather myself in SPF50+ everytime I’m outside. I love Neutrogena’s products – they’re the only ones I will use on my face!