This is usually the time of year that people who think and write about such things will begin thinking and writing about running in the heat. Being a follower, today I plan on doing just that.

Being a runner and writer from the School of Suck it Up and Deal, Department of I Hate the Heat, however, this may not be the most useful post in terms of actual health and safety. But it will give you insight into how one cold-weather lover deals with summer.

You heard me. I love the winter.

Doesn’t mean I don’t complain about it when it gets out of hand. You’re allowed to complain about both. But I think some people thrive in the heat, while others are attracted to the cold. I’ve never been a sun-worshipper or an avid beachgoer, and I would take a frigid afternoon hike over a lazy, muggy summer stroll any day. But I live in the real world. So, I try to…

Run early.

I came up with the idea for this post after watching the Our House 5 Miler in Summit yesterday. Because Summit has stupid town ordinances, the race couldn’t start until 1 p.m.

It was like 300 degrees at 1 p.m.

IMG_0793 If you think they looked hot here, just wait until the finish.

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Things got much sweatier, hairier and older after these guys, who came in the top 10. These dudes are legit fast, but they barely ran sub-6:00 pace. Whyfor? BECAUSE IT WAS FRICKIN’ BOILING. Friends, hear me now: if it’s hot at 7 a.m., it is going to be worse at 8 a.m., even worse at 9 a.m., and by 11 a.m. you ain’t getting your run in. Or, maybe you are, but I’m definitely not.

Although humidity tends to decrease throughout the day, any benefits of that are generally quashed by skyrocketing temperatures. And because the ground warms up, night running is usually worse that morning. Remind yourself of this in July, when you – like I – are setting your alarm at 6 a.m. on a Sunday to do a long run. The earliest I’ve done is 5:45 a.m., and while itsuckedIhatedit, I was thanking myself when I saw the poor evening joggers dying after work that day.

Misery loves sweating on company.

Yesterday was a good example, for me. I fit in a nine-mile run with my buddies in the middle of a 15-miler. By the time we finished, it was close to 80 degrees. Under any other circumstances, this would have been close to intolerable – the combination of early-season heat and humidity with quasi-hangover would have been my end. Instead, I got to suffer with my friends.

Let me tell you, as bad as hot runs are, it does make you feel a little better to hear your running buddy huffing and puffing and schvitzing alongside you, even just as a reminder that you are not insane to be in this much discomfort. I don’t think Dave and I chatted much – a few lines about terrible drivers, some brainstorming on good names for Hanukah-themed races (Torah Trot? Jog for the Jews?) – but most of it was knowing that you were not alone in the pain.

As it turned out, the pain wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I averaged 8:00 for the run, and was stoked.

Don’t get all bent out of shape when your runs are terrible.

Other times, you will not be so lucky. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve done out-and-back long runs, only to have the “back” part be 20 minutes slower due to walking, stopping and moping. These happen. It’s normal. The only thing I can do is, if I feel like crap, stop, walk, mope and then find another runner, who more likely than not also had a terrible run that morning.

Keep on running.

It’s summer, gosh darn it! The sun is out, the streets are full of ice, and you are full of excuses if you see humidity as a cause to reduce mileage. If these early runs are really awful, take heart – it takes about two full weeks of running in increased temperatures to acclimate. Does that mean two weeks of misery? For me it does. But I’m going to keep my eye on the prize, and I hope you do, too.

But don’t be ridiculous about it.

I just don’t think hopping out for a jog when it’s 100 degrees out just to prove you can is an awesome idea. Heat stroke is not worth the story that comes with it.

Or, on the other hand, be really ridiculous.

Two summers ago I raced in the River to Sea relay across the state of New Jersey. My team was the first to start and the last to finish (there were a range of abilities), and we did it on one of the most brutally hot and humid days of the summer. I ran two legs. The first leg involved torrential thunderstorms – that was cool. The second, done around 3 or 4 p.m., was in the blasting heat. I thought I was going to keel over and die. I thought I was going to pass out. My teammates were going loop. It was awesome.

r2c

My point here is, you can’t change the weather, and if 90 degrees makes you nuts, it’s not always a bad idea to just act nuts in response. No, it won’t help you prep for Chicago or PR at the Philly Distance Run, but it will make logging summer miles less of a bore.

So, how do you deal? Do you love the heat? Am I full of baloney on any or all of these? Entirely possible.