Summer miles

Well, as most of you know, the country is blanketed with seriously sky-high temperatures this week. In June and July, this weather coincides with loads of runners around town ramping up their mileage in preparation for fall races. Running outside in the summer is an adjustment, especially if you've gotten accustomed to training through the winter, and it introduces a host of new challenges. Some people love running in the heat - others make the best of it.

This will be my fifth summer of marathon training, and I learn more every year from reading, friends, and simply logging the miles. Through those summers - and a generous amount of trial and error - I've collected some ideas for how to maximize the fun in summer running when possible and safe. (I hope it's clear that in this post, I'm taking the long view of June through August, not advocating for crazy mileage during this particular week's extremes. Yikes.)

Here are five of my tips for outdoor running in the summer, whether you are training for a marathon or running in hot weather for the first time:

1) The most obvious: start early, when the temperatures and the sun are as low as they're going to get. It's sometimes a bummer to have my alarm clock chime that early on a weekend, but the upside is that I'm back home by mid-morning and can either enjoy the full Saturday or fit in a generous nap. If you want to be even more optimistic, an early start probably simulates your race day schedule and thus gives you a chance to practice your breakfast strategy! Air quality tends to be better in the morning, too. Plus, during the week, running early in the day frees you up to enjoy glorious activities like evening walks, happy hours on patios, and dinners straight from the grill.

2) Set yourself up for a nice treat afterward. If you don't already know what that treat should be, go for a nice long workout and start thinking in the last couple of miles about what you'd very much love to have when you get home. For me, one summer, it was freezies. Another summer, I walked to the nearby grocery store after every long run and bought an ice cold Gatorade. This summer, I think it's watermelon.

Whatever is refreshing and exciting for you - that's what it should be.

3) Hydrate appropriately and find a hydration plan that works for you. When I first started doing long runs in warm weather, I was terrible about hydrating and it really hindered my recovery. I'd spend most afternoons on the couch because I was totally beat. Finding the right strategy makes a world of difference in how I finish the run and how I feel the rest of the day. For me, a fuel belt with two bottles attached is just right, and I plan my route to include at least one drinking fountain stop to refill my bottles (and splash cold water on my face, which helps me a ton). Some people like handheld bottles; others plan for stops at drinking fountains more meticulously. I'm also trying to get more consistent about drinking water throughout the rest of the week. If I don't hydrate enough one day, I really notice the effect on my run the next day.

4) Adjust. Bottom line: It's simply not possible for me to maintain my paces for speedwork - or heck, any kind of run - when the temperature and dew point soar. You just have to adjust your pace and expectations for each day. One of my favorite yoga instructors, who teaches a class I find very challenging, encourages us to complete the session in a manner that leaves us feeling energized rather than depleted, which is different for every person on every day. That's easier said than done some days, but I've started thinking about this approach off the mat and on the roads. It might mean slowing down, adding a walk break or more walk breaks, cutting back on intervals or mileage, heading inside to the treadmill, or simply taking the day off.

5) Dress for it. You think wardrobe notes belong only in my winter running advice, right? Quite the contrary. I've learned that there are lots of inexpensive accessories that make summer running more comfortable. Grab a visor or hat to start, for sun protection and shade. (I find that there's nothing more energy-sapping than hot sunlight on my face.) If you are prone to blisters or chafing, get a stick of BodyGlide. Slather or spray on sunscreen and add sunglasses. A couple of summers ago, my mom sewed little cooling beads into rolled-up bandana scarves, which are wonderful and refreshing when you soak and freeze them the night before a long run.

This summer, I have to fight another member of my household for the bandanas. We've basically been swapping one little scarf for another from the freezer continuously for this guy:

Do you mean me?

5) Distract yourself! I signed up for a few races of varying distances this month to mix up my routine: a mile, a 5K, and a 25K on trails with Molly to replace my regular long run this weekend. They help with accountability, they're on routes I don't usually run, and they're just plain old fun. I also like to try to focus my attention on the rest of my environment when hot weather cranks up. Last weekend, I was grateful for a breeze that wasn't necessarily chilly but was a heck of a lot better than still air. I also like to take peeks at the trees and flowers that are the product of all that hot weather. That advice is easier to give when I'm typing next to a big bowl of watermelon than to put into practice on a hot and steamy day, but I try.

Reader! Do you have foolproof tips that I didn't cover?  Any feedback about my tips?  Please share!