Training through the summer usually goes one of two ways. People tend to either love it, or loath it! In my opinion, it does not need to become a chore, and it certainly shouldn’t fill you with doom.
There are some basics that definitely need to be considered:
If you are in a hot climate this summer, simply let go of those pace goals for now. Your body is working extra hard to regulate your temperature; so it is not physically possible to hold the same paces as in winter. Once you accept this and start running to RPE (rate of perceived exertion) things become a lot more manageable.
In the summer heat you will losing a lot more fluids than in the winter. So ensure to not only hydrate throughout your sessions with electrolytes, but also go into them well hydrated. This will help combat any post run headaches.
Remember why you started running the first place. Keep your sessions fun. If you are travelling, go and explore on foot or try running on terrain that you wouldn’t usually. You can also throw in some extra treadmill or strength workouts to have a break from all the outdoor sessions.
As we know, training consistently is key. The summer months do not mean that you need to stop your running all together. You likely just need to adapt it. Then come winter, you will be able to reap the rewards, once the temperatures drop again and you go into the next race season. This is because you can attain some really beneficial physiological adaptations by training in the heat.
- An increase in the production of haemoglobin
- A boost of plasma volume
- An increase in VO2 max
- Enhancement in cooling capabilities
So, embrace those conditions by training smarter not harder this summer.
Written by Steph Humphrey, Instagram here.
