Training outdoors in the Canary Islands: heat, calima, sun and terrain.

• Before leaving: AEMET warnings (heat, wind, sea) and, if there is calima, the current Health Department advice.
• During calima episodes, the usual health advice is to avoid intense exercise outdoors.
• Train early or late, with shade, a cap, sun protection and hydration.
• On trails and lava ground, uneven terrain and lack of signal raise the risk: go with someone or tell them your route.
• In an emergency, call 112.

• AEMET warnings for your island: heat, wind, coastal phenomena.
• Air quality and calima: if there is an episode, check the current advice from the regional Health Department.
• Time and light: how long until dark and how long the outing will take.
• Water and food: more than you think, especially on routes without fountains.
• Signal: if the stretch has none, tell someone your route and return time.

A two-minute check avoids most problems. The checklist for heading out to train alone details it step by step.

Calima is a mass of air carrying suspended dust that reaches the Canary Islands from the Sahara. According to press reports on the protocols of the Canary Islands Government's Health Department, during these episodes it is recommended to avoid prolonged exposure outdoors and not to do physical exertion outside, with special attention to people with respiratory problems or who are vulnerable.

• Always look at the current notice: the advice depends on each episode.
• If the workout is non-negotiable, move it indoors.
• If you have asthma or another respiratory condition, ask your doctor how to train on those days.
• If you notice a cough, itchy eyes, shortness of breath or discomfort, stop.

This guide does not reproduce a specific notice: episodes change, so always verify the current status with official sources.

• Pick early morning or late afternoon; avoid midday.
• Lower pace and loads in the first days of heat: the body needs to adapt.
• Drink before, during and after; on long outings, consider replacing salts.
• Cap, sunglasses and sun protection, even with clouds or wind.
• Light, breathable clothing; less and lighter in color is better.
• Learn the signs of heat stroke: confusion, very hot dry or very sweaty skin, severe headache, nausea, dizziness. If they appear, stop, find shade, cool the body and call 112.

If your WOD includes running in a vest or lots of burpees, consider doing it indoors on hot days. The Murph WOD guide has specific precautions.

• Lava, picón (volcanic gravel) and malpaís terrain is uneven and sharp: shoes with good grip and protection, and a short stride.
• Mountain trails can have steep slopes, wind and fast temperature changes.
• On the coast, do not train near the water on rough-sea days or approach cliffs in wind.
• In fire-risk periods, respect access restrictions to natural areas.
• Respect the environment: stay on marked trails and take your litter with you.

Tell a contact where you are going, by which path and when you plan to be back. If your app allows it, turn on an inactivity alert. Zoku Athletics' SafeTrack, for example, asks whether you are OK when you have not moved for five minutes in an outdoor session. Like any tool, it depends on signal and battery, and it does not replace 112.

Zoku Athletics is built by a founder from the Canary Islands for hybrid athletes who train outside. SafeTrack with SOS (always included in the Free plan) asks whether you are OK if you stay still and, if you do not answer, opens your messaging app with your location ready for your contacts. Vital Flow can lower the load if you report arriving tired.

The app does not offer weather, calima or air-quality warnings, and SafeTrack is not an emergency service and does not call 112.

The app is not public on the stores yet. It is in testing and there is no launch date.

The Free plan is free, with no card and no expiry. Pro and Elite are paid; what each includes is shown in the plans section of the home page.

Who is behind the website and the app: About Zoku Athletics.

• Training outdoors in hot weather: How to train outdoors in hot weather: timing, hydration, pace and load, warning signs and when to stop. An indicative guide, with no medical figures.
• Training in cold, mountains and rain: How to train outdoors in the cold, in the mountains or in the rain: layers, visibility, pace, terrain, phone battery and how to share your route.
• Checklist before training alone: A practical list before heading out to train alone: route, emergency contacts, battery, weather, ID and how to start SafeTrack in the app.
• Training alone outdoors: safety checklist: A safety checklist for training or running alone outdoors: what to tell people, how to choose emergency contacts and what alert apps can and cannot do.