No sugar coating it: Running in the heat and humidity of the summer sucks. It does. However, if we want to remain active during these challenging summer months of running and have any chance of having a solid racing season come fall, we must continue training. And to make hot weather running enjoyable and safe, the only way is by making substantial adjustments.
I’ve shared summer running tips every year since I began blogging, but this time I decided to do something different. I have gone through my previous writings on the issue and consolidated the tips. These, plus a handful of new ones I’ve added, bring the final count of summer running tips to 39.
To be clear, nobody expects you to apply all 39 of these hot weather running tips on every run. These are just guidelines and suggestions with very short explanations to get your thoughts started. I have included links to posts where I have explored the issues in more depth. And if you’re looking for more background or science behind these summer running safety tips, a quick Google search will point you in the right direction.
So, without further ado, here they are:
1 – Listen to your body â If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or overheated, don’t hesitate to stop, cut the run short, seek shade, ask for help, or just call it a day.
2 – Recognize heat stroke symptoms â Know the difference between exhaustion and heat stroke and familiarize yourself with warning signs like confusion, rapid pulse, or clammy skin.
3 – Hydrate all day â Hydration should be a 24/7 habit that keeps you close to fully hydrated by the time you start your GPS watch.
4 –Don’t overhydrateâ Overindulging in water or sports drinks can cause hyponatremia, a condition in which diluted sodium levels may lead to seizures, coma, or worse.
5 – Use electrolytesâ Supplementing with sodium, potassium, and magnesium helps your body retain and use the fluids you’re drinking more effectively.
6 – Run early or late â Run before sunrise or after sunset to avoid the most extreme heat and protect your body from overexertion.
7 – Monitor the heat indexâ Skip your outdoor workout if it’s over 98°F with more than 70â80% humidity, as your risk of overheating skyrockets.
8 – Slow down your pace â Running in the heat is harder, so let go of your pace goals and focus on effort instead of speed.
9 – Accept higher perceived effort â A rise in core temperature, not lactate or heart rate, becomes the main fatigue limiter in hot conditions.
10 – Use effort and time, not pace â In summer, pace and heart rate can be unreliable, so go by effort and run by minutes instead of distance.
11 – Recognize the signs of dehydration â Watch for fatigue, brain fog, darker urine, dizziness, or a dry mouthâthese may all signal fluid imbalance.
12 – Prehydrate before long runs â Do not cram your hydration; it doesn’t work that way. Hydrate throughout the day and days, not just before your run.
13 – Rehydrate after running â After a sweaty session, replace fluids with water or an electrolyte drink. Not only as soon as you’re done but throughout the day.
14 – Dress light and bright â Light-colored, loose, and moisture-wicking clothing helps reflect sunlight and allow sweat to evaporate more easily.
15 – Train in the shade â Routes with trees or buildings that block direct sun can be 10â15°F cooler and far more comfortable, and safer.
16 – Freeze your gear â Put your shirt and hat in the freezer before a run to delay overheating and make the first few miles more tolerable.
17 – Take short breaks â Stop for 1â3 minutes during a hot run to drink, throw water on your head, or reset your effort perception.
18 – Use water for recovery â Jumping into a pool, cold bath, or even running through sprinklers post-run can drop your core temp and revive you.
19 â Know where the water is â If you don’t know where the reliable water sources are, run with a handheld bottle or hydration pack.
20 – Run indoors if needed â If conditions are extreme, choose a treadmill or indoor track to get your miles without the heat risk.
21 – Build heat tolerance gradually â It takes a few weeks to acclimate, so ease into hot-weather running instead of diving into hard efforts.
22 â Move workouts around when necessary â Move long or intense workouts to cooler days and use weather apps to plan smarter each week.
23 – Use a heart rate monitor â Heat elevates heart rate, so monitor it to avoid overexertion while running.
24 – Expect it to suck â The first few weeks of heat running will feel awful, but your body will adjust and it will suck less. Proceed with caution.
25 â Adjust your training plan â In very hot climates, push harder workouts like long tempos to the fall and focus on base-building instead.
26 – Exploit cooler days â When temperatures drop, use the opportunity for a strong tempo or threshold session to boost confidence.
27 – Don’t obsess over metrics â During summer training, forget about pace, Strava comparisons, or even distanceâsurvival and consistency are the priority.
28 – Take advantage of trails â Shaded trails provide natural cooling, softer surfaces, and often more enjoyable running when it’s hot out.
29 – Eat hydrating foods â Boost your fluid intake by eating fruits and veggies like watermelon, cucumber, and oranges, which are 80â90% water.
30 – Beware of diuretics â Limit high doses of caffeine or alcohol around runs, as they increase urination and risk of dehydration.
Learn how to gauge your level of exhaustion (Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko, Pexels)
31 – Set hydration reminders â Pair water intake with daily habits like brushing your teeth, meals, or use phone alerts to stay on track.
32 – Sip, don’t guzzle â Drink water steadily throughout the day and during your run to avoid bloating and improve absorption.
33 â Internalize year-round hydration strategies â Treat hydration like a year-round discipline, not just something to focus on when it’s hot.
34 – Know your sweat rate â If you’re a heavy sweater, you may need more fluids and sodium than the average runner.
35 – Pair hydration with daily habits â Combine drinking water with routines like meals, workouts, or bedtime to form easy-to-remember habits.
36 – Double instead of going long â On non-long run days, two shorter sessions may be safer than a longer push under the brutal heat. Consider it if needed.
37 – Use treadmill for quality work â Use a treadmill to maintain pace accuracy or intensity when outdoor heat makes it unsafe.
38 – Keep someone informed â Always tell a friend or loved one your planned route and expected return time, or use live tracking apps.
39 – Know the line between tough and dumb â Being smart and cautious during summer training keeps you healthy and able to run tomorrow.
Did I miss anything, or would you like to contribute to the list? Please do so in the comment box below.
 Exercising in the heat will inevitably elevate your heart rate and elevate your needs for hydration. This means that with more effort you will accomplish less. The sooner you accept it, the quicker you will adjust to your new reality of running in summer.
You must understand whatâs happening in your body during the summer before you can adapt and progress (Photo Pexels)
Running writer Brownyng Griffiths, puts it this way in her Polar blog: âAfter all, exercise should be a celebration of your bodyâs capabilities, not a battle against the elements. So, stay cool, have fun, and keep movingâ.
This said, here are 11 tips to take into consideration to improve, enjoy and be safe during your summer running:
1 â Adjust your intensity: If you can take one thing from this blog post, let it be this one: The body keeps your skin cool by circulating blood. The hotter you get, the more blood pumping is needed, thus, a faster heartbeat, thus, you work harder, thus you will tire faster, thus, accept it and adapt. Your performance wonât be the same, but if your main running goal is not coming up next week, you have enough time to adjust your intensity to your reality.
2 â Be intentional about your hydration: Hydration is not just for when your Garmin is running. Intentionality is the name of the game. When you hit that start button you should have been consuming a balanced mix of water and electrolytes throughout the day. And not just during running days but every day. Same applies to post-running rehydration. You donât have to replenish every drop as you lose it, but you must understand what your body requires to function properly.
3 â Plan your water stations in advance: know where the water stops are, what gas stations are open at the time you run or plant your water on the route ahead of time. If you are not sure about will be available, carry what you will need. There are countless options available in your local running store. Running holding a bottle in your hand should be avoided unless it means no water.
4 â Overhydration is a life-threatening condition: It may be counter intuitive, but you can drink yourself to death. Hyponatremia is a potentially fatal condition where an individualâs level of sodium gets so diluted by the combination of over guzzling of water and not replenishing electrolytes that the bodyâs electrical system fails. Understand how much water you need and/or can manage.
5 â Your body should adapt. Be patient: Iâve read experts stating the body takes about two weeks to adapt to running in the heat. In my experience it takes much longer. But if you are patient, understand your output will not be the same as in benevolent weather, and remain constant, your body will eventually acclimate and improve its ability to remain cool.
The right clothing in the right environment can make all the difference (Photo: Retha Ferguson, Pexels)
6 â Know your environment (BE FLEXIBLE): Knowing the weather for your run is just a click away. There is no excuse to be unprepared on a hot and/or humid run. Pushing back or rescheduling your run may be the wise choice. Or jumping onto the dreaded treadmill. Donât just check the temperature, but also the heat index, which measures how hot it feels outside when combining air temperature and relative humidity. Overlooking it may get you into the danger zone.
7 â Choose light-colored clothing: Iâm sure your dark shirt is beautiful, and that black hat from that important marathon will raise your profile with your running buddies, but it is about basic physics. Dark colors absorb the heat of the sun and get hotter while light colors reflect it and are cooler. That simple.
8 â Wear the right clothing: Breathable, moisture-wicking clothing will aid sweat evaporation and thus, cooling of the skin. Wear as little as you can feel comfortable with. Avoid tight materials that will stick to the body and hinder evaporation. Remember that sweat and evaporation is what will keep you cool and healthy.
9 â Know your route: The middle of the summer is not the time for exploration. You donât want to find yourself lost and short on hydration in an area where thereâs not another soul or a shaded area to be found. Know where you are going, know where the water is, know where the shaded areas are. This could be the difference between success and disaster.
10 â Understand your body signals: Heat will affect us all. It is a matter of the degree to which it will happen. It is not an if, but a when. Learning to recognize dizziness, cramps, cold sweats, or fatigue could help you identify heat exhaustion or the dangerous heats stroke. This is not the time to show your machismo by plowing through a hard workout when you are exhausted.
11 â Protect your body: It is not just about the sunscreen. Your eyes, your head and your face also need protection during the brutal summer runs under the sunlight. Wearing sunglasses and a cap/hat, even when it is cloudy, is always a good decision.
Keep on moving, keep on training, remain constant. Those who do are the ones that will set up PRs during the Fall/Winter running season.
The title of this blog post doesn\’t necessarily mean running at noon in the Sahara Desert. Yet, some Texas or South Florida-based runners currently training for fall marathons may wonder if the Sahara at noon may be more accommodating than what they are experiencing as summer hits. Running in cooler and/or drier conditions would be nicer, sure, but the sooner we accept that this is what we must work with, the quicker we\’ll adapt to our reality and move forward towards our goals.
Does anything else need to be said about Summer marathon training in South Florida?
As difficult as it is to hit the road for a 2-hour run on a 90/90 morning (weather/humidity), remember that there are plenty of runners from the hottest and most humid corners of the Earth who compete, complete, set PRs, and even win the biggest fall and winter races in the world. This means the bulk of their preparation is done amid the summer heat. This proves that it can be done. It is a matter of adjusting expectations to the reality that surrounds us, accepting that no amount of pouting or protesting will produce a change.
Sweating is one of the most important physiological functions in our body yet is a rarity in nature. Besides humans, only monkeys, hippos, and horses sweat. Sweat is what cools our bodies and allows us to be active for prolonged periods of time without the dangers of overheating. The evaporating water transfers heat from our skin into the environment.
High humidity is extremely dangerous to us runners. Beyond the additional energy required to displace a heavier mass of air as we move forward, it also affects the body\’s ability to cool itself. The higher the humidity, the longer sweat stays on our skin, the harder it is for it to evaporate, and the hotter we remain. To compensate, the body sends more blood to the skin to cool us down. The more blood we need, the harder our heart needs to pump, causing our heart rate to go higher and higher. This may trigger other health issues related to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
Adaptation to running in extreme heat requires preparation, the right frame of mind, and patience. Steve Magness, a former competitive runner and coach for the University of Houston, recently stated that he spent many years running 120 miles per week amidst the Houston summers. \”You DO adapt a bit,\” he says. \”But it comes from going really slow, by feel, just getting it in for a few weeks before you magically start feeling better.\”
This \”magically\” word is nothing but a synonym for \”adaptation,\” meaning that the body learns to adjust to its environment, optimizes its resources, gets stronger, and becomes able to recover better and faster, allowing you to proceed with your training. Pushing through the muggy weather with the outdated no-pain-no-gain concept will eventually backfire and sideline you, either from exhaustion, injury, burnout, or a combination of all three.
âDon’t do anything stupid in extreme heat. Just get through it.” – Steve Magness
In a recent social media post, Magness provides 5 important and simple tips to run and adapt to running in extreme heat:
1 â Hydrate. 2 â Go by feel. Forget pace. 3 â Run by time. 4 â Don\’t try to do anything hard or long. 5 â Jump in the pool or take a cold shower afterward.
Magness\’ conclusion is simple and direct: âDon\’t do anything stupid in extreme heat. Just get through it.\”
Serendipitously, as I was finishing this blog post, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and writer, posted a video on CNN.com explaining the physiology and dangers of exercising in extreme heat. I highly recommend everyone reading this to invest 3 minutes of their lives in understanding this video.
With Summer around the corner, maybe already here if you are reading this a few days after publication, it\’s essential to adjust your running routines to ensure a safe and effective experience. Running in hot weather requires intentional modifications to prevent dehydration, heat-related injuries, and negative impact on your fitness. These are 12 quick tips for summer running.
1 – Slow Down: Running in the heat is physically demanding, and your body requires more effort to maintain the same pace. Embrace the reality of running at a slower pace to accommodate the increased effort it requires. It\’s about maintaining the level of perceived effort rather than focusing on speed. It doesnât matter if it screws your Strava averages.
Running safely during the summer is perfectly possible, but it requires planning (Photo: Pexels)
2 – Plan Your Hydration: Proper hydration is crucial during summer runs. Plan your routes around areas with ample fluid sources or strategically seed water along your route in advance. Remember to consume water at scheduled intervals, before you feel thirsty, which may indicate dehydration has already set in.
3 â Overhydration is a Thing: While staying hydrated is important, be cautious about overdoing your water intake. Drinking in excess can lead to hyponatremia, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by dilution of sodium levels in the blood. Stay hydrated throughout the day, not just while you run, and ensure your urine is lightly colored as a sign of healthy hydration.
6 – Dress Appropriately: Opt for light-colored clothing, which reflects more light and deflects heat. Avoid wearing long sleeves, long pants, or outfits designed to induce excessive sweating, as these can hinder your body\’s ability to cool down.
7 â Freeze Your Running Clothes: Sounds weird, but if you place your running shirt and hat in the freezer and you put them on just before you leave home, your body will cool down, and delay the inevitable. Sure, it will get hot anyway, but isnât it better for it to start at mile 2 or 3 than at the first step?
8 – Stay Connected: Carry your mobile phone during runs. Inform somebody of your whereabouts and expected return time. Consider using apps or services that allow loved ones to track your real-time location for added safety.
Click this image to see the correlation between relative humidity and temperature
9 – Factor in Humidity: If you train in a high-humidity region, be aware that running in saturated air requires more effort compared to drier conditions. Adjust your expectations and accept that maintaining the pace may require additional effort, so you may have to run shorter. Mental preparation and acknowledging this difference may help you stay motivated.
10 – Adjust Your Training Schedule: Be flexible with your schedule, especially if you\’re preparing for a fall marathon. Should the weather conditions be extreme, consider rescheduling long runs or intense sessions to a more suitable time of day. Avoid pushing too hard in unfavorable conditions to prevent extreme exhaustion and/or injuries.
11 – Choose Shaded Routes: Plan your routes intelligently by selecting paths that offer ample shade. This will help shield you from direct sunlight and reduce heat exposure, making your runs more comfortable and safer.
12 – Listen to Your Body: Don\’t be a hero. If you feel dizzy, fatigued, or overheated, don\’t hesitate to stop, cut the run short, seek shade, ask for assistance, or just call it a day. Prioritize your safety and well-being, as taking these precautions will aid in faster recovery and enable you to resume running sooner.
13 – Differentiate Exhaustion from Heat Stroke: It\’s crucial to distinguish between normal exhaustion due to heat and a potentially life-threatening heat stroke. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of heat stroke to avoid any severe consequences. Refer to the graphic below, borrowed from www.weather.org, for a comprehensive understanding of heat stroke symptoms.
Learning this information could save your life
Running during the summer months is possible with the right adjustments and precautions. Many of the worldâs greatest marathons, such as Berlin, New York and Chicago, take place in the fall, which means you must train during summer. By planning ahead, making smart choices, and prioritizing safety, you may continue training effectively and ensuring a smooth transition into the upcoming racing season.
Always err on the side of caution and enjoy running while staying safe.
Since the majority of my readers and trainees are in the Northern Hemisphere and the weather is warming up rapidly despite being three weeks away from the Summer Solstice, the time has come to remind all athletes that running during the hottest times of the year requires purposeful and intentional adjustments. These modifications are not optional. If you donât alter your habits, you will not only be unable to maintain or increase your fitness, but you could get seriously hurt.
Heat related injuries wonât break your bones, but they could have lasting effects on your body, and thus, on the future of running.
So, here are 5 tips to adjust to summer running.
1 – Understand what is happening – There are two basic things that happen when you run in a hot and/or humid environment. They just are, so there is no use in fighting them.
1A – The first one is basic physics: Humid air is denser than dry air, so it takes more effort to displace a heavier mass of air, thus enhancing the effort it takes to run at the same speed.
1B – The second one is basic biology: The human body cools off by sweating and the blood contains about 92% water. The more you sweat without replenishing fluids, the more water gets sucked out of your bloodstream and the ticker blood becomes, making it more difficult to circulate. That alone, spells deep trouble.
If you canât adjust the time of your tun, you may end up on the dreaded treadmill (Julia Larson, Pexels)
2 – Adjust the time of your running – If you live in places like Florida, Texas or similar, your two options are adjusting to run in the heat/humidity or not running at all. If you want to continue running, you must do it at the coolest time possible, when it is gentler to the body. Before sunrise or after sunset are the basic choices. Wake up earlier or wait until later. If you canât then the dreaded treadmill seems like your option, but that comes with its own set of particularities that you will have to deal with.
A good hack is to keep your running shirt and hat in the freezer and put them on right before you hit the road. This will cool off your core and provide you with a few comfortable initial miles before the inevitable sets in.
3 – Slow your race â There is a reason most mainstream races take place in the fall or the spring. Who wants their goal race in the thick of the scorching summer? So, since summer is usually the time to get ready for the upcoming season, it is the perfect time to take care of the feared strength training and to build up your aerobic engine, which is done by running slower than usual. Your fall and spring PRs are built during the summer. Take advantage of it. Donât worry about what the fast people in your running group may say or what your Instagram followers may think.
Hydration during the summer months is key, but overhydration can be a life threatening condition (Ketut Subiyanto, Pexels)
4 â Careful about overhydration: Hydration is key during the summer, but hydration is not only what you consume as you run. Hydration should be a 24/7 habit that will put you as close to fully hydrated when you start your GPS watch. Your body is designed to lose fluids and run without replenishing every single drop of water you lose. Donât fall into the temptation of overindulging on water or sports drinks or you could experience hyponatremia, a condition in which the sodium levels are so diluted that it could cause seizures, coma and even death. For more on hyponatremia, I invite you to read what the Cleveland Clinic website has to say about this serious condition.
5 – Beware of the signs â Running during the summer has challenges that go beyond having to run earlier, later or slower. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two of the most serious perils from running in inhospitable climates. It is important to know and recognize the symptoms of each one, so you can adjust properly and avoid a mishap that with luck, it will only keep you out for a few weeks, without it, it could kill you. I wrote an earlier post on heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke. I invite you to revisit it by clicking here.
Running in the heat and humidity is no joke. Please be careful out there. Never lose sight that you need to live to run another day. The line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin and if you cross it, you can get seriously hurt.
There are no medals or podiums during training, so, be smart out there and remember you are only getting ready for next season.
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