I’m not sure if I’m the only one who realized this…but this summer has been terribly hot. Not just hot, but humid too. My hair resembles an afro 99.9% of the time. I won’t pick it out 99.9% of the time. My level of frizz in the hair is just the descriptions I like to use…you could very well just say it was a cold winter and now it’s a hot summer.
If you are training for a fall marathon…hey that’s me, then you probably should be logging some miles right now in this miserable heat…hey also me. Instead of complaining or telling you to stay hydrated and slow your pace, I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing to not pass out on the side of the road while also logging some miles. While staying hydrated and slowing down your pace are clearly important I think I’ve read entirely too many posts on that and I’m sure you probably have too.
I start my outdoor runs between 5:30-6:15am every day (including weekends, unless it’s a race…this isn’t so much that I enjoy waking up that early on weekends but mostly because I normally still have to work). If I sleep past that, you can bet a run is probably not happening. It’s too hot to start a run right now for me personally at 8 or 9..that and I have work at 9…so that’s easy enough.
I also do loops around my neighborhood so I can stop at my house and grab water versus holding it. The only thing I’ll hold is in my phone because I like to listen to music on about half my runs. The other half I’ll run sans music (mostly because I eat up my data streaming Pandora). I’m more of a double, triple…ect loop kind of person instead of out and back or one giant loop.
I also do run on the treadmill occasionally. On days I’m outside with work, the last thing I want to do is run at 95 degrees. I want the cool breeze of the fans built into the treadmill, some trashy tv and to zone out. So that’s what I do. Unlike winter where I logged morning 10 milers on the treadmill for close to two months (YAY Upstate NY weather), right now I’m logging maybe 5 milers in the afternoon. Generally shakeout runs. I’ve logged a few longer 10 milers on the treadmill but not too many this summer since I’m still paranoid about when I overtrained two summers ago on the treadmill and got a stress fracture.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t complain that the weather is miserable, but what I am saying is that it is miserable everywhere for everyone and I think (including myself). Everyone is tired of training in the heat. You can make adjustments to your training to fit in runs where it’s a bit cooler or better weather.
Questions for you:
How do you beat the heat?
What is your favorite season?
I’ll probably complain about all of them. Just kidding, I don’t think I’ll complain about winter this year…just summer. In my defense, I spent 5 years in -30 degree winters and those same 5 years in 100 degree summers. I was the opposite of the typical old person migration.
Favorite season = summer. I like running in the heat… most of the time 😉
I beat the heat by doing what you do… loops around my neighborhood so I can grab water (and pee!) and my house.
You’ve been doing awesome keeping up with running in this damn heat and humidity. While you do morning runs, a lot of my runs this summer have been at night… starting at 8 or even 9 PM. That has definitely helped me out getting workouts in.
Autumn is by far my favorite…..the foliage, the temps…everything!
I love how opposite we are in that regard. Though I do agree Autumn in Upstate is absolutely gorgeous.
Yeah so many posts on how to hydrate well etc… I’ve been carrying water on my longer runs and it does suck, but I’m definitely a more out and back kinda girl rather than doing loops. I find loops just mentally quite annoying. I like to think I’ve got a destination in mind, even if it is just going home. I just know I’d get bored doing loops. But each to their own!
I beat the heat by being injured! Hahah I actually enjoy working out on my balcony but its for 30 minutes tops and then I walk inside to a cold shower. I would be like you and running at the crack of dawn. I work at 7AM currently so I’d probably have to push my schedule to closer to 8 or 9.
Well that isn’t a fun way to beat the heat but at least you don’t have to wake up early.
Good write-up.
This summer has been brutal and all I have done is complain haha. Fall is the only season I don’t complain about…typically perfect for running.
Spring I don’t find bad either but I also don’t have allergies. Winter in VA wouldn’t be bad in my personal opinion.
Sounds like you have a pretty good 3/4 of the year. Winter in New England is kinda rough (pretty much Winter and 2/3 of Spring). Would love for VA or NC weather…someday (I hope).
Regardless, you’re badass so it could be sleeting jaguars and I’m sure you’d be killin it.
You’re a much better person than I for getting your runs in in the morning. And loops would drive me crazy. I should do my runs early, but I just can’t bring myself to head outside. During the week, I do all of my runs during my lunch break. My intervals & tempo paces really suck when I’m running outside in Texas at noon, but it’s the only consistent time that I can get them in. I’m usually only doing four or five miles, so I don’t carry water with me on these runs. I run past a fountain every 3.5 miles on my long weekend runs, but I still carry water with me. I can’t seem to stay hydrated unless I’m drinking along the way.
I wish I didn’t have too believe me but this summer I haven’t had time to be able to do them much later either. I’m moving down to Texas (Del Rio) after Labor Day so the fall will still be hot for me too.
OMG you’re in extreme heat whilst I am freezing my arse off here in Australia haha… so weird! I have to say though I prefer heat, I am like a reptile and here when we had the hottest day on the planet haha I ran in it and almost did a 3km PR! 🙂 So I think I will put myself in a box and come over hehe I WISH!!!! Anyway good luck with training in the heat, I’m sure it will get cold in no time especially as I know XC season is almost over here *tears* which means track season coming and warmer weather hehe yep I go my running as my season! 😀
I know right. That is awesome though and so weird to think you are entering track season!
I agree with the timing of your runs – if I don’t get my summer runs done by 7am, it’s just not happening that day. The heat makes me too sluggish and lazy in the afternoons to ever want to lace my shoes up and head out. Thankfully this week its starting to cool off here in DC (I was almost chilly this morning while walking to the bus..it was AMAZING).
Running shady routes really helps and as long as it fits in with your training plan, finding the flattest route possible really helps me (I live on top of a giant hill, so that doesn’t really work for me)..but hills heat my internal body temp up to something comparable to the surface of the sun, I’m sure).
Me to. I find the flattest most shady spots…I wish I lived closer to a nice shaded park we have around here but alas the 45 minute drive is not doable in the morning with work!
I beat the heat by spraying myself with the hose every five minutes. It was only 59 degrees out this morning!!! Perfection. I was about to complain about being cold to Elmo until I realized it’s probably the most perfect weather and I’m just being a nag. Plus, talking to your dog is weird so I should probably stop it. My favorite season is fall 100%. Fall any day, every day.
To be 100% honest, I always loved winter…before I moved to Blacksburg. The wind during the winter months are WAY too much for me. Spring all the way 🙂 Fall is nice too.
I am such a baby when it comes to heat. Seriously, I can’t stand it and don’t want to be in it. I run on campus so I can take advantage of the water fountains haha
I’m a baby in extreme temperatures too. Now a days, I’d rather just run on a treadmill then outdoors in 100 or -30. LOL.
I cannot do small loops. If I do, the temptation to stop and go inside the house to cool off is too much. I’m more of an out and back girl or bigger loop. Thankfully we had a teeny bit cooler day today!
It was glorious. I finally had a somewhat productive long run. I wish it would stay like this but ha…yeah right…
I wish I could get my fat ass out of bed and run in the morning 🙁 I always used to, but now I have a lot of trouble with sore knees first thing, and I’m also just generally letting depression get the better of me. Usually I end up running at lunchtime when it’s the hottest, and it’s really getting to me (mostly the chafing…again with the fat), but I really have no excuse because I don’t have to be at work or anything like you. I’m just pathetic. Plus, it’s nowhere near as hot here as it is in the US (I think the highest it’s been was 92, and that’s obviously nothing). I’ve been running loops too, whereas usually I’d be very much an out and back or one huge loop person (because I get bored easily, plus if I do that I can’t quit unless I never want to get home again :P)…it’s essential because I sweat so much, and I drink ridiculous amounts while I’m running.
I like spring and autumn because there generally aren’t any extremes of temperature, but I’m happy to complain about all of them too…this ‘spring’ for example, when we were buried in snow until April.
xxx
92 is very hot no matter where you are! I agree about the extremes of temperature and we had some of that snow too sadly. My morning runs generally take at least 2-3 miles to warm up and to get my slower pace of afternoon runs but it is what it is. If I have to slog through 9 minute miles…at least they are injury free!
Running in the heat is not fun! But that’s why you do it at five in the morning. I’ll see people around town running at one or two in the afternoon when it’s the hottest. They’re crazy.
Wearing a hat and sunblock helps tremendously, as well as running in the woods 🙂 But I think I’ve mentioned the latter several times before. 🙂 One of my friends swears by his Buff. He freezes it wet, and wears it on really hot days. Brrr.
Stay cool out there!
1) Beating the heat – Like you, I run mostly in the mornings to catch the cooler temps. I’m pretty lucky because recently, it has been in the upper 50’s and low 60’s. Ideal. I DO still occasionally run in the heat (on purpose) so I can be somewhat prepared if I have to race in it.
The ultimate beat the heat move will be for this weekend’s run with my training group. We are going to be in Boulder, CO this Saturday – and while it is supposed to be a little cooler (80’s) – it will still be plenty warm by the time I am done doing 18 miles. That’s when we kick off the shoes and go jump in Boulder Creek, right where it exits Boulder Canyon…still only slightly removed from having recently been snow. 🙂
2) Favorite season? No contest….fall.
Ahh, I totally understand the having to spend winters where it’s cold and summers where it’s hot… although Philadelphia doesn’t get nearly as cold as upstate NY. Still, Georgia summers + Philly winters = not fun.
“If you are training for a fall marathon…hey that’s me, then you probably should be logging some miles right now in this miserable heat”
**Looks around**
**Realizes I’m in the same group**
I better getting going then! Lol
*better get going
I agree! No one loves the heat. Well, I don’t anyway. My FAVORITE season is Fall for sure.
I personally have hit the treadmill a lot because of being at work at 5am. HOWEVER, that changes TODAY! 🙂
So I am such a weirdo, I love humid runs actually… haha (I think I should move to Texas) It was 55 degrees when I went out this morning and my hands went numb. I really hate the cold though and treadmill runs will happen again in the winter here. You are smart to stay close to home so you can get water, I could do that in Chesapeake, here not so much. I am a big loop kind of person ending with a little loop in the neighborhood here and at home. Definitely not an out and back though I like to see different things on my run!
I love summer and I refuse to complain about the heat. Having such a long cold season here in Maine I have to appreciate every ounce of sun we get. However, I would say fall is my fave season!
This post said it all for me this summer! Oddly cooler weather has hit Central NY making runs much more enjoyable lately but it was CRAZY hot for a bit there. Even my 6am runs were warm. I tried to drink more h2o and get my electrolytes but it was tough regardless. Hope you’ve got some cooler weather now too. Fall is my favorite!!!
What part of central NY? I went to college in Potsdam and worked for a year in Oswego.