Hey Everyone!
This chat is a bit late, but it is still important to share. As we move into warmer weather, runners need to understand what is happening inside the body and why running can feel so much harder when the temperature rises.
I have been talking about this subject for over 20 years because I believe it helps runners train smarter, stay safer, and not get discouraged when summer running feels brutal.
We have already moved from those comfortable 60-degree days into mid-80-degree weather, and that transition can be downright humbling. One week you feel fit, smooth, and strong. The next week you feel like you are carrying a piano on your back.
So let’s talk about why.
First, a little physiology
Glycogen is one of the body’s main fuel sources for running. Glycogen is stored carbohydrate, mainly kept in your muscles and liver. When you run, strength train, or do any strenuous activity, your body uses glycogen to help fuel the working muscles.
This is one reason consistent training matters. Over time, your body learns how to use fuel more efficiently. You become better conditioned, and your body becomes better at managing effort, pace, and energy.
But when the temperature rises, especially when humidity rises with it, the body has another major job to handle.
It has to keep you cool.
When your body heats up, more blood is sent toward the skin to help release heat. You also begin sweating more. Your heart rate rises. Your breathing may feel harder. Your effort level increases, even if your pace is slower than normal.
Because our bodies are made wonderfully, our cooling system takes priority. Thank you, God, for that. The body is designed to protect us and keep us upright.
But that protection comes with a cost.
Your working muscles may not feel like they are getting the same support they had on a cool spring morning. The same pace now requires more effort. Your body may burn through glycogen faster. Your legs may feel heavy, tired, sore, or just flat.
That does not always mean you are out of shape.
It may simply mean the conditions changed.
I often tell runners that summer running can make you feel like you are carrying a piano on your back. You may feel slow. You may feel discouraged. You may even wonder where your fitness went.
Most likely, it did not disappear.
You are just running under more stress.
Do not shut it down for the summer
Unfortunately, many runners get frustrated and decide to stop running until fall.
I would encourage you not to do that.
You do not need to crush yourself all summer. You do not need to chase spring paces in July. You do not need to prove anything to your watch.
But you can keep moving.
Running in hot weather can be safe, productive, and even rewarding if you approach it correctly.
Here are a few strategies to help you navigate the next few months.
Number I
Learn whether you handle humidity or heat better
Many runners assume the best answer is to get up early and run before the temperature rises. That can be a great strategy, but it has one major challenge.
Humidity.
Overnight moisture often creates very high humidity in the early morning. Sometimes it can be 85 percent or higher. So while the temperature may be lower, the air can still feel heavy and uncomfortable.
Humidity makes cooling harder because sweat does not evaporate as well. Sweating is one of the main ways your body cools itself, but when the air is already full of moisture, that process becomes less effective.
That is why a 68-degree morning with high humidity can sometimes feel worse than an 82-degree run with lower humidity.
Personally, I run better in higher temperatures than I do in high humidity. Humidity can fool you. You may feel okay when you start, then about a mile in — bang — the effort suddenly catches up with you.
Pay attention to your body. Some runners handle humidity better. Others handle dry heat better.
Learn which one affects you more.
Number II
Hydrate and use electrolytes
Hydration matters, but in the summer, water alone may not be enough.
When you sweat, you lose fluid and electrolytes, especially sodium. If you are running longer, sweating heavily, or running in humid conditions, electrolytes can make a big difference.
You also need to stay nourished. Glycogen comes from carbohydrates, so if you are under-fueled, your body has less available energy to work with.
This does not mean you need to overthink everything. But you should not head into a hot run dehydrated, underfed, and expect your body to perform well.
Give your body what it needs.
Number III
Stop running for distance
This is a big one.
In the summer, forcing your body to run a certain distance at a certain pace is often not the best strategy. It can be frustrating, ineffective, and in some cases, unsafe.
Instead, run for time.
Let your body decide what distance it can safely cover that day.
Some days you may cover more ground. Some days you may cover less. That is okay.
I often run 25 minutes out and 25 minutes back. Sometimes I go slow. Sometimes I mix in walk breaks. Sometimes I feel good and run a little stronger.
I am happy with all of those outcomes.
The goal is not to force the body. The goal is to train consistently while respecting the conditions.
And do not think time-based training is second-class training. We have successfully coached runners to Boston Qualification using time-based training.
It works.
Number IV
Use effort or heart rate to control the run
A heart rate monitor can be a helpful tool in the summer. It keeps you honest.
When the heat and humidity rise, your normal pace may push your heart rate much higher than expected. That is your body telling you the effort is harder, even if the pace looks slower on your watch.
Running at a conversational pace is one of the best ways to manage this.
You should be able to speak in short sentences while running. If you are gasping, forcing the pace, or fighting the run early, you are probably working too hard for the conditions.
For many runners, keeping easy runs around 55 to 65 percent of maximum heart rate can help improve fuel efficiency and keep the effort manageable.
Train the right system.
Do not let your ego set the pace.
Number V
Lower your expectations and be okay with it
This may be the hardest part for runners.
You have to lower your expectations in the summer and be okay with it.
That does not mean you are lowering your standards. It means you are training intelligently.
Being consumed with pace, distance, and watch data when the conditions are not practical is not helpful. It is not smart training.
Keep running. Keep moving. Be proud of the consistency.
Do not be obsessive.
There is a difference between discipline and stubbornness. Discipline helps you keep going. Stubbornness ignores what your body is telling you.
Be disciplined.
Final Thoughts
It is okay if you choose to take some time off from running in the summer. But if you stop completely, you may miss out on one of the best feelings in running.
Because when fall arrives, and the temperature and humidity finally drop, your body will feel completely different.
The piano will come off your back.
Those slow, humid, uncomfortable summer runs will have done their job. You will feel stronger, smoother, and more grateful for the cooler air.
So keep moving.
Run slow. Run-walk if needed. Run by time. Hydrate well. Use electrolytes. Find a friend. Jump in a lake or pool after the run if you can.
Summer running does not have to be perfect to be valuable.
It just has to be smart.
Go be amazing!
God Bless,
Mike