Well, it’s all about perception.  If it’s been in the 40s all week and we suddenly have a 75 degree day, it can feel hot that day.  Or it can be 95 degrees but ‘only’ 50% humidity and it feels much cooler than the day before.  Running in the heat requires some different tactics – both mental and physical to get through.

I’ve run in Houston summers for 4 years now.  I dreaded it the first year and then found out it was manageable.  I’ve also trained for a race through the summer and it will take a lot to get me to do that again!   Some days I come in from a long run and my shoes are wet….sopping wet…..and I didn’t run through a puddle.  Now that’s hot!

I will say that some people don’t seem to be affected by the humidity as much as others, but I definitely feel it.  When I have the pleasure of running on a dry day, whether here or somewhere else, it feels wonderful!  But in Houston, I often feel like I’m half running and half swimming.  And physiologically, evaporative cooling only works so well when it’s 98% humidity outside.  I’ve tried to give you some tactics below that might work for you if you find yourself running in hot, sticky weather.

Tactic 1:  Slow down.  Yes, you’ve been running and even racing through the fall and winter, picking up speed and even enjoying speed work through the spring and then…..it happens.  It gets hot and you just can’t keep the same pace.  Well, you aren’t supposed to.  Jeff Galloway cites specific pace times you should shoot for as the temperatures soar, and those can be helpful.  However, I’ve often half-joked that if I slowed down as much as Jeff would promote, I’d be going backwards in the summer!  But still, it’s wise to both back off your pace and try not to stress about being slower than your winter self.

Tactic 2:  Run by effort, not by pace.  So if I can’t rely on my previous pace targets, how do I know I’m still doing a good job with my training?  Well, try running by effort.  This is a measure of how hard it feels to run.  You can use a heart-rate monitor and monitor this or just go by how you feel.  On summer runs, I generally set out and start my Garmin but I don’t look at my pace until I’ve got a mile or two under my belt, and then it’s just out of curiosity to see if my effort matches the pace.  Often it doesn’t.  I may feel like I’m running really hard, but when I look at my pace, it’s a ‘slow for me’ pace.  And I have to be ok with that.  There’s some evidence that heat training will make us stronger and faster in the fall.  I’ll leave it to the scientists to divulge all their secrets, but I do have to tell myself that my slower paces are ok, as long as I feel like I’m putting in the work. 

Tactic 3:  Run early or run late.  Yes, I have gotten up at 5 am on a Saturday morning to eat and get out before the sun comes up.  Part of my normal route takes me on an unlit path, so I can only get a mile or two in before I need some light so I don’t get up as early as some people. I have friends who will start a long run at 3 am to get it in before the sun gets hot.  It’s a trade-off in Houston though.  Morning temperatures are often better than evening (it might be 80 degrees at 5 am in July, but 96 at 8 pm) but it is often much more humid in the morning.  My schedule usually dictates my running and I can often only do my mid-week short runs in the evening.  Running when it’s hotter but less humid isn’t a bad thing. 

Tactic 4:  Find the shade.  If for some reason, you can’t get out early and find yourself running when the sun is up, try to find a shady path or trail for your route.  It really does help.

Tactic 5:  Carry water, even on short runs.  I carry a hand bottle for short runs and then both a hand bottle and a fuel belt with water bottles for longer runs.  I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  And I try to sip along the way often rather than gulp infrequently.  I think it gives your body time to absorb the water and keeps me going longer.

Tactic 6:  Refill and refuel.  On longer runs, loop back past your start (house or car) and refill your bottles with cold water.  Just try not to gulp down too much at once…..you can have a very unpleasant, sloshy run after that if you don’t restrain yourself. 

Tactic 7:  Stash water along your route.  My runner husband does this.  He’ll check with friends along his route and park a bottle on their porch so he doesn’t have to loop past the house for refills.  This is particularly helpful if you are afraid you’ll stop if you loop past the house instead!

Tactic 8:  Carry a small cloth to wipe your face.  I wear a Sweatyband to keep my hair off my face, but I still have sweat pouring off me after a very short amount of time.  If you’re a super-sweater like me….try carrying a cloth.  I use an old baby wash cloth from our baby days (she’s 9 now!).  It’s light and easy to carry but it makes me feel so much better to be able to mop off my face throughout the run.  Yes, it gets soaked and gross and I have to wring it out mid-run sometimes, but it helps. 

Tactic 9:  Need salt?  We actually do need salt (and electrolytes) but I prefer to get mine through my diet rather than drink.  I just drink water when running.  Certainly train with whatever you plan to do on the race course, but I’ve toyed with eating pretzels on the course.  I’ve not successfully added anything yet (beyond my beloved gummies) but part of training is experimenting with different things that work.

Ice, ice, baby!  I use ice baths on runs longer than 10 miles and while I do this in the winter too, it’s actually something to look forward to in the summer!  You’ll get the anti-inflammatory benefit of the bath and bring your temperature down at the same time.  Even if you just use cool water, you’re likely to see a benefit.

Drink ice water and cold chocolate milk for recovery.  And just thinking of that frosty glass of chocolatey goodness during my run can help get through a tough mile.

Treat yourself to a popsicle while you are getting your ice bath and/or shower ready.  I keep a stash in the freezer and grab one when I walk in.

Finally, embrace the heat.  Even in Houston, it doesn’t last all year.  And if you are scheduled to run in some hot place like Orlando (even in January sometimes) you’ll be prepared.  And if you are scheduled to run in some place like Anaheim, it might help you PR!