Admittedly, Summer is my 4th favorite season for running. Sure I love the freedom of flip flops, shorts and tanks. I find it very relaxing to sit outside on the deck or by the pool sipping a nice cold drink. However, when it comes to summer running, the heat and humidity just zap my energy and take some of the joy out of running. So what’s a mother runner to do? How to survive summer running?
How to survive summer running (and make it to fall)
Get up early(er)
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not an early bird runner. However, I’ve adapted to get up and out there a little bit earlier in the summer and it makes all the difference. Even a few degrees of cooler temps can be a life saver in the quest to survive summer running.
Get wet
Last summer, on the weekends, our running group started to meet up at a local pool. We would “pre-cool” by swimming a few laps and then immediately head out to run. Starting our runs with a cooler body temp really helped! Other options would be to run through neighborhood sprinklers or stick your head into a water fountain. Desperate times 🙂
Icy Towels are a must
I have kept a few old race towels (the small ones they hand out at finish lines). On hot days, I wet them and place them in ziplocs with ice. Coming back to my car to find these little gems is a nice gift.
Hats and visors
In the past few years, I’ve come to appreciate how helpful a great hat or visor can be. These are 2 of my favorites. The Lululemon Baller hat is super light and has a nice big pony tail opening in back. The Brooks “run happy” hat just makes me smile.
A great pair (or 2) of sunglasses
I received a pair of knockround sunglasses as part of the Bibrave ambassador program. These have quickly become my go to pair. They are light as can be and I often forget that I am wearing them at all. I love all the great color and style options and at a ~$20 a pair they are a steal. Polarized and stylish. Grab yourself a pair too at 20% off with “Bibraveknocks2”.
Adjust your expectations and cross train
Summer is the time that I cut myself some slack on paces and distances. Some days it’s just so hot and humid that the plan goes out the window. These are days that I cross train with biking, swimming or an indoor workout.
These are my best tips on how to survive summer running and make it to fall. Summer running leads to fall PR’s-or so they say! What are your best tips?
linking up
One thing we would do in cross country during the really hot days is stick our heads into a big fountain near the path we ran. It helped cool us down so much! A pre-cool swim is a really good idea too.
The fountains definitely help! We don’t have too many around here
All great tips! Adjust my expectations? I’m working on it…. :p Hopefully, the Heart Zones monitor will be a big help with that.
That is not an easy thing to do!
Well, you know I’m a summer runner lover, but it’s because I have learned to be realistic with my pace/speed/finish time (if I’m racing) expectations (not that I was in contention for placing anyways LOL). And, yes to the hats/visors and sunglasses!
Yes I know you are a summer running lover!
All great tips! I have hats but need to invest in some visors!!!
I like to switch it up but both help a lot. I am also trying really hard to keep the sun off of my face
These are really great tips for summer running – it’s definitely my least favorite running season too! I need try to the cool towel trick, especially when I meet up with friends to run!
The cool towels are fabulous!
I definitely start early but the last two days it’s been 90 degrees by 5:30 am! At least the sun isn’t shining on me yet. I love Knockarounds! I actually have 4 or 5 pairs (so I can have all the matchy colors!). They’re a great deal.
Yikes that really is hot don’t know how you do it. The knockarounds are fantastic
Just 2 pairs of sunglasses? I definitely have way more than that. Have to color coordinate, after all (and I rarely pay more than $20 for them).
I know I have eye’d pools in my neighborhood, wanting to dive into them after a hot run!
You probably can never have too many pairs of glasses or shoes!
nothing better than and ice cold towel around your neck to cool off after a hot run!
Yes it’s the best!
Love the idea of a pre-cool! I wear Headsweats to keep my head cool!
The precool was fantastic when we were tri training
Getting up early is my top tip, too, although that means a very very early breakfast if I’m going further than five miles! Great post, and I love the ice cube towel trick.
Oh, finding a restroom and running cold water over the veins in the backs of your wrists is a good one, too.
Ice cold water on the wrists I will have to try too
I think what I would do is jump in a cold shower with all my running clothes on before going outside – and then by the time I got back, they’d be dry (or wet from my sweat). hahahaha!
interesting strategy!
My mom actually sent me some info regarding pre-cooling so I try to do that as much as possible. I also like to keep an insulated water bottle in the car to have some nice cold water after my run. The places I run don’t always have water fountains but I do take advantage of them if they’re available!
Coming back to your car and finding a nice cool drink is key! happy running
So important to be ready for running in the summer! Thanks for giving us these great tips! Will pass along to my running friends
Thanks appreciate that!
Summer running is definitely draining! I like your icy towels idea – gotta try that one this summer!
You will love it!
Getting up early is a great tip and something I’m really trying to do! Need to start getting to bed earlier! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I have the same problems!
I like those tips, but I think one that’s really important to remember is to run by feel/effort rather than focusing on pace. Once the fall/better weather comes, you’ll be fit and fast!
From your mouth to my feet! 🙂
The icy towels are a great idea! I haven’t done that one yet but I’ll have to remember that. I definitely try to get my run in earlier in the Summer. But I still prefer Summer running to Winter 🙂
I have such a hard time in the summer humidity. Next week is looking hot!!
These really are such good tips! Summer is my favorite season, but summer running is HARD. I try to go early!
I need some of these sunglasses.
Summer running is really hard!
These are all great, but I don’t love the getting wet. With the humidity here, it’s hard to get dry again and then it leads to nasty cases of chafing. Ew.
The humidity is so bad here as well. The getting wet does not bother me but I can see how you may not like it
Summer running… oh gosh! I love is as much as I hate it. 🙂 I hate waking up earlier but after I’m done with training, I definitely love the fact I did wake up and do my run. These are great tips. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks summer running is sure challenging!
These are all such great tips! As much as I enjoy warm weather, I really hate running in it!! Fortunately, it does not get too hot here in Maine!!
I imagine your humidity is much lower too!
All of these are super helpful. I got a cold towel at the end of a race and it was life changing in terms of comfort.
Also if I ran in a residential area, all the sprinklers
Yes the cold towels at the end of a race are a godsend
All great tips! We’ve had a miserable spring but I’m sure once the hot/humid summer weather eventually gets here I will be hoping for the cooler spring temperatures again!
It has been really humid here already and I am not excited about what I know is coming for July and August
I agree with your tips too! I love the wet towel idea!!
The wet towels are fantastic!
I agree with you and thank you so much, Deborah Brooks, for sharing with us the informative post
Thanks for checking it out
Nice article! Cool towels are of great relief while running in the summer. I have hats but will have to invest in a visor or two!
The cool towels are the best try them!