Black or White - What Should I Wear for my Runs To Keep Cool?

Light-coloured clothes reflect solar radiation, while dark colours absorb it.

🔍 A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences (2014) found that athletes wearing black had significantly higher skin temperatures than those in white during exercise in sunny conditions.

🔍 Another study in Applied Human Science (1998) showed that white shirts reduced thermal load and heart rate in runners compared to dark shirts when exercising in direct sun.

What this means for you:

• Opt for lighter shades (white, pastel, light grey) for sunny races or runs, especially in tropical or coastal heat like Goa, Chennai, or Hyderabad
• Use darker gear only when it’s early morning, cloudy, or you're prioritizing opacity or you’re worried about staining