Mannheim, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/07/2011 -- Especially at warm days in summer high ozone levels prevail in big cities as well as in the countryside.

This is particularly harmful to children and people with respiratory diseases. The hazardous ground-near ozone evolves through a combination of heat, exhaust fumes, and emissions from industry and incinerators. The longer the period of fine weather lasts, the more increases the ozone level. Even healthy people feel the raised ozone concentration through physical complaints such as fatigue and headache.

When nitrous gases and hydrocarbons meet the UV radiation of the sun, the harmful ground-near ozone is generated. Thus, the concentration increases even more in summer. Not only the heavily travelled big cities but also more rural areas are affected. Ozone can be transported several kilometers depending on the weather conditions. While in the agglomeration areas the ozone generation comes to a standstill at night and the level decreases, it is not reduced in the countryside and thus remains almost constant there.

Risk groups should preferably stay in closed rooms at days with high ozone levels, also exercising outdoors should then be abandoned. Ozone gets through the air into the respiratory passages and where it can irritate the mucosae and cause cough and breathlessness.

Who wants to absolve his training even at hot days, should at best exercse inside on a treadmill, where the ozone level is mostly much lower. Besides, the training should not be performed during the noon and afternoon hours as then the concentration in the air reaches its highest level. This is especially important in cities, less in rural areas. Breaks during jogging, a slower tempo and shorter distances protect the body when training in summer smog. Even trained sporters might have to take it slow to take care of their health in the warm season of the year. Who suffers from asthma, cardiovascular diseases or chronic bronchitis, should abandon the training during warm summer days.

Still, many people ignore the risks related to jogging outside in summer and especially at very warm days. Even though regular sportive activity is certainly beneficial for body and soul, physical overload and the ignorance of the body's needs and the own limits can be highly harmful to ones health. Thus, it is important to really carefully test ones own performance capacity and to allow for breaks or lower the training workload if necessary.

Further exciting topics about running and health can be found on the online blog myjogstyle.com.