VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — For many at Pickleball Virginia Beach, staying active is part of their daily routine. But this week's combination of oppressive heat, high humidity and smoky air has forced some to rethink just how long they stay on the court.
"It's miserable right now. It's just so hot but it's good to get out and sweat and just enjoy the game," Ben Ellingsworth said.
Ellingsworth says it's not finding the motivation to play that's difficult — it's finding the endurance to stay outside.
"It really shuts down the amount of games you can play, so instead of being out here for two and three hours, you really get shut down probably after about an hour and a half… two hours at the most," Ellingsworth said.
Others are adjusting their schedules, choosing cooler parts of the day to avoid both the heat and the worst of the haze.
"It impacts it quite a bit just because it gets hot, but a lot of times the group that I play with, we play early in the morning. We're not so hot," John Precise said.
Even then, players say they can still notice the smoke lingering overhead.
"It's a little thick sometimes, but again we play early in the morning. It's not as bad," Precise said.
Doctors say while many people may only notice the haze, what's in the air is much more concerning than what they can see.
"It's a mixture of toxic, invisible particles and gases," Dr. Xian Qiao said.
Qiao says those particles can be especially dangerous for people with asthma, COPD and other breathing conditions, particularly when combined with extreme heat and humidity that already put added stress on the body.
"People who have sensitive airways like severe asthma… those patients may not want to be outdoors," Qiao said.
Doctors say if you have to be outside, drink plenty of water, take frequent breaks, and pay attention to the Air Quality Index before heading out.
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