Taryn asks: I’m training for one half and one full marathon this season, and my last two long runs were humbling due to the heat. Do you have any tips for surviving my next long runs in warm conditions?  

Great question, Taryn. The heat can really play a role in the quality (or lack thereof) of your performance. Here are six ways to work with the heat and get in successful long runs this season.

These strategies make summer training for distance races more bearable.

Master the Half measuring the effects of temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation found that clear days had a greater negative effect on endurance performance than cloudy days. Running on sunny days increased skin temperatures more due to radiation from the sun. When possible, choose a cloudy day over a sunny one for your weekly long run.

Choose shade.

Another way to reduce the effects of solar radiation is to run in the shade. When things get hot and humid in Chicago, I take my long runs to one stretch of groomed trail that is completely shaded. The tree cover blocks the sun, and the groomed limestone terrain doesn’t radiate extreme amounts of heat. (Asphalt can reach 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Health & Injuries.

Rather than running a long loop or an out-and-back course, create a three- to four-mile route and stash a cooler in the shade with your long run supplies (bottles containing sports drink or water, ice, towels, and so on). The idea is to give your mind and body a frequent cooling opportunity and refill break. Refilling your handheld bottles with ready-to-go, super-cold fluids will keep your spirits high and transition times short. Loading up a bandana with ice and wrapping it around your neck will help to keep your core temperature lower, as will soaking your hands and wrists in ice-cold water. Keeping your body temperature lower is the key to running strong in the heat.

Other Hearst Subscriptions—really early.

Train like a Floridian: Create a place or meet a buddy and start hours before sunrise. Sure, it doesn’t leave you with much ability to socialize the night before, but the benefits outweigh the challenge of waking before the roosters. Bonus: You get to wear a cool headlamp. By the time you finish, you will have done more than most people will do all day and can take a nice, long nap.

Run by effort.

Pace doesn’t mean a lot when you’re running a long, hot run, and worrying about it can actually get you into trouble. You can guess how much to slow down to adjust to the heat, but in most cases it is like trying to predict the winning lottery numbers. Instead, run by your body and by your effort by listening to your breath. Learn how to do so here.

Also consider training like an ultrarunner and use run-walk intervals to keep your body temperature lower. Some faster runners use a higher ratio like 8/1 (running eight minutes, walking one minute repeatedly), while others like myself go with shorter three- to six-minute run intervals with one- to two-minute walks. Check your ego at the trailhead: This works, folks, and when you embrace it from the start, you’ll end up getting in a much stronger run than if you gut it out and slow every mile.

Sales & Deals.

Run the first half or so of your long run outside, until the heat begins to affect your performance, and then finish it off on a treadmill in an air-conditioned room. It allows you to gain the most from both terrains while avoiding those final hot miles that feel like they suck the life out of your body.

Running long in the heat poses a great challenge, but with a few tweaks to your plan, you can work with the conditions and get in strong long runs.

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