By Sarah Hauge
Summer mornings are a real Groundhog’s Day situation for me. I have good intentions of running before it gets hot. I wake up to my alarm (realistically hitting snooze 1–4 times), drink coffee and eat, water planters outside, talk with my kids and husband, and then start working on my laptop (or playing New York Times games) for what I intend to be just a few minutes before I leave. Suddenly two hours have passed, I’m starving, I eat another pre-run snack, worry I’ll get a sideache, wait even longer to leave—and end up heading out when the temperature has hit an ungodly-to-me 75-plus degrees. (Hi, my ancestors are Scandinavian.) My run is typically hot, sweaty and arduous.
There are many unwritten rules of summer running, which most of us learn (or in my case, are still learning) the hard way. What follows are a few of the most important.
Summer Slows You Down
When you run, your body releases energy in the form of heat. When the temperature is an ideal-for-running 50 degrees, that heat easily dissipates into the air. As temperatures rise, it becomes harder to cool off. Similarly, when it’s humid, sweat has a harder time evaporating, and that evaporation is what cools you down.
All of this means your body works harder. Your heart pumps faster, and the same effort you put into a springtime run results in a slower pace. Remember: You’re not doing anything wrong, you’re not losing fitness, your endurance hasn’t reduced—you’re just living through another summer.
Shade Is Life
When temperatures climb and days lengthen, seek shade, preferably in nature. Running through a park, along a shaded trail, or following a river path will be cooler than anything in full sun or on pavement. Fun fact: the temperature beneath a tree can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than nearby asphalt. Running in the early morning or evening also keeps you cool and off your feet in the hottest parts of the day.
Just Add Water
As your body works harder and you sweat more, you need to hydrate more intentionally before, during and after your workout. Try freezing a half-full water bottle before your run and topping it off with water when you leave so it stays cool as the ice melts. Plan your route around places to rehydrate. I’m pretty sure I have a mental map of every public drinking fountain in a five-mile radius. I’m also not above darting through a neighbor’s sprinkler to cool off along the way.
After a run, reward yourself with a cold shower—or, even better, a dip in a lake, river or pool. Be sure to replenish with more water and electrolytes. Hydration is cumulative, and what you do today will affect your future runs.
Let Your Body—Not Your Brain—Be Your Guide
As mentioned above, pace goals can go right out the window in high heat. Focus on your effort, not your speed. How does your run feel? How do you feel afterward? What can you tweak, not for better performance, but to feel more rested, energized and strong?
When it’s hotter out, I have to work harder to fight my ordinary temptations to match or increase last week’s mileage, to run even when I have nagging aches and pains, or to continue with planned workouts when I simply lack energy. Many runners I know feel the same. But feelings of tiredness, discomfort, hunger and thirst are all communicating something important. Our bodies are often much wiser than our brains. Cut back on your speed, take a day off, shave a couple of miles from your planned route—and don’t try to make up for it later. Summer running shows us what our bodies truly need. It’s much more enjoyable when we actually listen.
Sarah Hauge is a writer and editor who lives in Spokane with her husband and two children. She plans to run the Spokane Half Marathon for the first time this fall.
