Fall marathons are probably the most popular full marathon season – NYC, Chicago, Marine Corps – all are in that Oct/Nov time period. But training for a Fall full means you are doing the height of your training in the HOTTEST part of the summer.
When the highest mileage weeks in your training coincide with the highest temperatures of the year you better be ready to fight the good fight. So to help you here are
Summer Running Must Haves:
1. Hydration help – A handheld water bottle, fuel belt or camel back. Different things work for different people, so figure out which one you prefer but take water with you!
Also, for longer runs plan your route near a water fountain so you can refill. No water fountains around? No problem. Plan your route with a 7-11 along the way and grab some water, gatorade or a slurpee <- I did that in Maryland. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Yes, I obviously haven’t made many very good decisions in my lifetime…
I think my hydration belt is too heavy with all 4 bottles in it – this one is a 2 bottle belt. My fuel belt is like this one with 4 bottles/holsters. You can get this one and just take along 2 bottles if you are able to refill.
I also have a handheld I use for shorter runs similar to this one.
Here is my waistbelt review vlog from last summer.
2. Electrolytes. I love Nuun tablets in Cherry Limeade – this four pack has that flavor and watermelon! Summer running means you’re sweating more so make sure you replenish your body!
From the NIH – “Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes. You lose electrolytes when you sweat. You must replace them by drinking fluids.”
It doesn’t have to be a super fancy runner specific brand, but people with sensitive stomachs may have to find one that doesn’t upset them. I’ve used everything from Nuun to Gatorade to juice in the past.
3. A towel. Save your car seats from sweat! And/or use it to dry off if you take an impromptu ice bath in a local fountain.
4. Sunblock and a hat or visor. Slip, Slop, Slap! Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat!
5. A positive outlook. Summer running is tough, but doing it makes you tougher. You might have to switch up your training plan if there is a heat wave or fires around – roll with it and stay positive.
6. Raspados
or ice cream. (Preferably Yogurtland’s new Carrot Cake fro-yo.)
For running clothes – check out my Summer Running Gear post.
Question: What are the temps in your neck of the woods this weekend?
It is going to be in the 100s so I will be up EARLY for my long run. When it gets super hot I also head inside to the treadmill for training. It’s not ideal, but it works.
Doing any workout in the summer months it is important to keep hydrated. Have fun playing in the sun.
Living in coastal Northern California the temps in the summer are a balmy 50-60 and foggy most days which is awesome for running!
I’m running a half in Los gatos this weekend though and temps are supposed to be in the 90’s — ohhhh lord! I’m nervous!
I love Nuun tablets!!! They are seriously life-savers!!! I don’t do too well with Gatorade when the weather is hot…
It’s been “feeling like” 90+ degrees for the last week. The humidity is killing me and my ability to run, and my marathon mileage is only increasing. I’ve also had to up the weekly laundry routine because my clothes now officially smell absolutely terrible and are stinking up my whole apartment.
The temps here in Missouri are mid 90’s and Humid! YUCK. The towel is the most over looked thing. Don’t tell my BF I said this but his car stinks of sweat! Mine… Just smells like food.
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Love your summer must have list! I’m in search of a good hydration belt. I, too, find them heavy. Coincidence you mention slurpees in your 7/11 post?
I’m training for my first half marathon in October and I live in Charleston, SC…so you can imagine what my training runs are like right now! It’s insane. I need to try a drink belt…probably burns more calories with the extra weight too!
Summer all year round here – I live in the equator! Guess what my sis uses in place of a towel?!?! She brings along and wear her bathrobe on her drive home! LOL!
Carrot cake fro yo?! Amazing! Have you ever had the carrot cake Luna bar? Thank goodness people are getting more and more on board with carrot cake flavors–it’s the best
Living in Florida means dreadfully steamy runs 7-8 months out of the year… I keep telling myself how much better I will be when I relocate in two years to cooler climates, but for now, it is rough going!
Carrot Cake fro-yo – WHAT?!?!
It has been pretty humid until the past 24 hours here. I got up and did 3 this morning and tomorrow is 5. I need to go to bed.
I love my fuel belt – but I only use 2 of the bottles, too. Positive attitude has definitely been key for running in the heat. I’m not the best runner and only really started to get into it, so staying positive has REALLY helped me!
Summertime? It’s summer? Here in Humboldt, the high is either 61 or 62 all summer long. So glad I’m not living somewhere that gets hot anymore!
Monica! I know you live in SoCal so I was wondering where there is a dunkin donuts?! We just moved here from a land far far away! haha, or otherwise known as, Arkansas. I would much appreciate you to tell me where one of these magical coffee shops is!
There is no DD here 🙁
I’m so lucky-my first half is at the beginning of August, and it’s in San Francisco. Basically it will be a miracle if it reaches 70.
I MUST be better about sunscreen. I get my face every morning, but forge the rest of my body sometimes.
Right now it is hitting between 95 & 100…yuck!
I’m out in DC for the week and this humidity is KILLER. I’m so grateful to live in SoCal! 🙂
Ooooh. Carrot Cake Froyo. Been trying to cut out the deserts but I might need to splurge on some yogurtland soon.
We’re at mid-70s for a low, and low-100s for the high. It’s hot, but doable, and I always love feeling like a bad arse when it cools down!
Like mid 90’s with a billion percent humidity! Ah summers in the Dirty South!
Which sunblock do you prefer?
Slip Slop Slap. Love it. I need to be better about sun protection with how blazing this summer has been here. Great post Semi Gringa.
We need to run together soon!!!!
Great tips for running in the heat!
I have that same Nathan hydration belt and am thinking of transitioning to a hand-held. In addition chafing my lower back, it also allowed sweat to seep in and ruin my old iPhone. Plus, it just seems so bulky.
I am also a die-hard Nuun fan. Great way to replenish electrolytes without all the sugar of sports drinks.
One new thing I’ve been trying is bringing dates and sliced up boiled, peeled potatoes dipped in salt on my run. I’m only two long runs into taking those with me, but so far I’m sold. Along with Nuun, great fuel for my long runs.
Central Valley weather in CA is triple digits!
This weekend we will be hitting 90’s! I love hot weather so I am a-okay with this! Great tips on running and training in the heat! I have to agree with the 4 water bottles, it gets so heavy!
I just recently found your blog and I love it! I am currently training for my very first marathon…the Chicago Marathon and I live in Texas!! I get up super early to run because I hate running on the treadmill. I have a 10 mile run tomorrow and the high is supposed to be 102!! Have you ran the Chicago marathon…thoughts? Also I just bought the brooks infiniti shorts that you recommend in one of your posts and I absolutely love them. Thanks for the always entertaining and helpful tips.
The weekend highest temperatures will be low 70s. I usually run in the morning when the temperature is around 60F.
Sunscreen times 100. I also have a mosquito-repellent shirt from Haeleum. It sounds weird, but it totally rocks. It’s essential for evening runs in wooded areas, because mosquitos love me, and they suck (you see what I did there?!).
We are coming off of triple digits the last couple of days here. I got my run in early this morning. Was only 70 degrees!
I was thinking I needed a towel in my car this morning. I was sweating all over my seat. Yuck.
Awesome post to start me on my training to my first race! Thanks again for the encouragement #ownit
I have the same hydration belt! I also have a CamelBak backpack which I have grown to love. It’s very convenient. When I run in the summer I usually cut down on mileage a bit. Definitely not my favorite time of year to run!
Yogurtland for sure. Great list.
I just bought a camelbak 50cc pack. Love it! and it doesn’t jiggle on my hips like my belt does. but my belt only has 2 bottles as opposed to 4. so maybe yours is balanced.
I’m having trouble with tempo runs in the summer! How do you keep up your speed???
In Scotland it has been about 80 degrees, which is very hot for us, we’re more used to cool temperatures and rain!
So, I’ve found running to be pretty challenging this week.
Although I always run carrying a large water bottle in my hand, and I use High5 electrolyte tabs whe I get home, I am unaccustomed to running plastered in sunblock. It’s icky!
I need to find a visor – I’ve always worn hats but just read that’s the worst thing for heat/humidity. I have a handheld water bottle. I need to try out a belt though. I get so tired of carrying the bottle around. It’s 100 here with 80+ percent humidity. Good times for running LOL
It’s been in the 90s, but it is finally cooling down. Today is overcast and perfect running weather for Montana!
I’m in Flordia with high 80’s-low 90’s and very high humidity. Makes running very tough!
We’re in the 90’s and still climbing. We easily reach 100 most summers by August. Right now most runners I know either run very early in the a.m. or at night. I have a belt that I wear so that I don’t have to hold my dog’s leash, and it also has a pouch for a water bottle. I squirt some in my dog’s mouth as well because this kind of heat can be deadly for dogs…and they will keep on running out of loyalty and obedience until they drop.
I want to try that Nuun.
It was 84 degrees and 90% humidity in central IL yesterday morning at 5am! We survived our run but we looked like we had just gotten out of the shower when we were done. Luckily it rained later and broke the heat and humidity, weather.com (which is not reliable, I don’t know why I constantly check it) says it will be in the 80s this weekend. We are hoping to beat the heat Saturday morning to get our 12 mile run in. We don’t have a lot of options for water stops in our town, but we have convinced friends on our route to leave us water during our runs.
Topeka, KS mid 90’s both Sat and Sun. High humidity too. Good day for A/C.
I have the Nathan Triangle Insulated Angled Holster Waist Pack (try saying that 3 times fast) and I can’t decide if I like it or not. I’m looking into getting a handheld – do you only use yours for short runs, or is it just whatever you feel like for that day? I would assume it would be annoying carrying that around for 6+ mile runs, but what do I know. Ever tried handheld for longer distances?
I will now start to plan my running to coincide with the palatero’s sales route! Thanks for the idea
I’m in the valley so HOT
I live in a suburb of Phoenix and am ecstatic that it is only supposed to hit 100* today! (Woooooooo!!!) It was about 83 when I went for my run this morning which felt AMAZING after mornings of 87-90*.
Wow that is hot, just 81 here in Columbus when I ran and I thought that was hot.
I completely agree with this post! A positive attitude is KEY and realizing that running in the heat makes it harder! You have to cut yourself some slack – that and stay properly hydrated! I can’t run with the belts but I have used a hand held water bottle!
P.S. That Yogurt looks AMAZING. We only have one froyo place here and they don’t vary their flavors much…but I have a crazy addicition to it!
Oh, I’m so jealous that you’ve tried Yogurtland’s Carrot Cake already! I was there last weekend and oogling the teaser list of flavors coming up. Unfortunately, the nearest location isn’t near enough to visit every weekend…and we’re going to hit triple digits this weekend, they say.
Carrot cake froyo? Now that got my attention!
What about dorkwear? Seems like most of the folks I see running are sporting some kind of dorkwear. Recommendations?
Was the carrot cake froyo all I think it to be and more? Still haven’t gotten there since the kids enlightened me about this fave flave!
It was 91 when I went out yesterday. I find it much harder to keep pushing myself when I have to deal with heat. I would much rather run in the cold. I always go by the mantra, “you can always put on more clothes, but you can only take off so much.”. AND NOT GET ARRESTED!!!