The Kentucky Derby 2026 will be here before you know it. Right now, tens of millions of people all over the world are reviewing the odds and working on making well-informed picks.
Do you know what the invisible secret to success is? Sunscreen.
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Here’s what’s not. Skin protection is an incredibly important component of any outdoor athletics. Horse racing, golf, and football. Here’s how to keep yourself safe as you enjoy fun in the sun this spring.
Overview: Why Sunscreen Is Important
It’s easy to underestimate the value of sunscreen. Day in and day out, the ramifications of forgetting preventative measures are often small or even non-existent.
Here’s the thing. You can do real and even irreversible damage to your skin, even without getting a sunburn.
Regular, unprotected exposure to UV rays can cause melanoma as well as other skin-related illnesses.
It can also create an accelerated appearance of aging and even suppress your immune system.
These are bad problems, all of which can be addressed relatively easily through accessible precautions that take no more than a minute.
Sunscreen
If you’re only going to take one precaution, it should be high-quality sunscreen. General recommendations suggest SPF 30 for casual outdoor excursions or SPF 50 for prolonged time spent outside.
If you’re fishing, swimming, horseback riding, golfing, or hiking, you’re probably in that SPF 50 category.
Typically, the recommendation is for about a shot glass-sized quantity of sunscreen to be applied to your arms, legs, face, and neck.
Ideally, you’ll get a water-resistant formula that will hold up against sweat or even pool water. It’s also important to reapply sunscreen every two hours to ensure its effectiveness.
Why is this consideration so crucial? Good sunscreen can block up to 98% of UV rays, protecting you from the vast majority of skin-related illnesses.
Taking sun protective precautions but skipping sunscreen is a little like attending a six-hour seminar on cybersecurity and then failing to install firewalls. Pointless. If nothing else, make this precaution.
Wear Protective Clothing
UV-resistant clothing will typically feature long sleeves, but consist of lightweight fabric that will not keep you oppressively hot on long summer days.
This is admittedly an imperfect option if you’re going to be doing a strenuous sport. For example, running in long sleeves, well-made ones, can cause more problems than they solve. The greater risk of heat stroke comes to mind.
For golfing in a cart or riding a horse, the risk-to-benefit analysis might skew in your favor. At least consider it an option where applicable.
Added note, there are lots of long-sleeve swim shirts that provide tremendous sun safety benefits on hot days. You might feel like a goofy goober, but you’ll be a goofy goober with no sunburn.
Check the UV Index
The UV index indicates how much ultraviolet light you’ll be exposed to when you go outside on a given day. Naturally, if you’re on a team or scheduled sport, you can’t necessarily shape your outings based on when the numbers look good.
If you have any discretion in the matter at all, this can definitely be a helpful figure to look at. Note that some places will almost never have a good UV index rating during the summer months.
People in these communities simply need to make informed choices about when they go out.
If you’re at high risk, it’s likely advisable to limit light exposure or take a combination of protective measures anytime you go outside. Those with a more limited risk should still be careful, but may place slightly less concern on the UV index.
Stay in the Shade (If You Can)
Not always possible, we know. But when is it? Take advantage. Plan your run on shady paths. Park your golf cart beneath a leafy tree. Trot your horse down a well-forested route. Even with all of the precautions we have described, you’re still going to get some UV exposure.
Prioritizing shade whenever possible will help make up for that.
Staying Protected Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
What do all of the considerations above have in common? They’re really pretty easy to implement. They’re also inexpensive.
You can get off-brand sunscreen at any major retail location, particularly in the spring and summer. UV protective clothing might be a little bit more expensive, but considerably less so than the cost of a hospital bill.
Remember, more than anything, that you’re investing in your health. A lot of us can buy into the idea when it comes to doing the physical activity that we like. Horseback riding, hiking, running, golfing are all physically beneficial hobbies. We just need to make sure that we pursue them in a way that is safe and sustainable.